NCJ Number
233289
Date Published
2010
Length
231 pages
Annotation
This book examines what it means to be a Christian chaplain who ministers to those in prison or victimized by crime.
Abstract
Reverend B. Bruce Cook serves as a chaplain who ministers to prisoners and to crime victims who have experienced the homicide of a loved one. For decades, he has ministered as a county jail chaplain, a federal prison chaplain, and a chaplain for crime victims. He recounts the struggles he has encountered to change prisoners and to facilitate the healing of crime victims after a serious, violent crime. Reverend Cook has also been a strong advocate for substantive victim's rights legislation in Georgia for the last 25 years. He discusses his vision of a restored segment of American society, that of victims of crime. He exposes the gap between criminal justice and victim justice. Through sharing his experiences, the book reveals his belief that there are spiritual and practical ways to enable the process of healing the wounds and repairing the harm. His message promotes the notion that ministry is where retributive and restorative patterns of justice intersect. He shares his belief that criminals should make amends for the harm they have caused and provides suggestions for practical ways to make that happen. This book can be used as a resource for support groups, victim advocates, and organizations that provide training for those entering the field of victim services. References and appendixes