Choosing Life

LJAP ch 4

The Catholic Church strongly opposes

abortion and capital punishment.

Why do 1.3 million abortions happen each year?

Rape 1% of pregnancies that end in

abortion were the result of rape School & Career Poverty I’m just not ready

Crime & Punishment

Between 1977 & 2006 more that 1057 people were executed

Why? Some crimes are so violent a person

forfeits his/her right to live A crime harms society so much, in

order to restore justice we must offer the same level of harm he or she caused society

“if you hit me I am gonna hit you back”

Child like tendency Similar to our justice system Known as retributive justice “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a

tooth”

Compassion for All

Human life is sacred All humans are equal Human life begins at conception

As the bishops say:

“The antidote to violence is love, not more violence.”

A flawed system

12% of the national population is African American while 40% of people on death row are African American

Almost equal # of murder victims have been white and African American while 80% executed were executed for murdering a white victim

“Both-And” approach

Not women or unborn but women AND unborn

Not criminal or victimBut criminal and victim

Building a Culture of Life

From Revenge to Restoration Restorative justice:

Focuses on the harm of the wrongdoing more than the rules that have been broken

Shows equal concern to victims and offenders, involving both in the process or justice

Works toward the restoration of victims, responding to victims' needs as the victims see them

More restorative justice..

Supports offender while encouraging them to understand, accept, and carry out their obligations

Recognizes the while obligations may be difficult for offenders they should not be intended as harms

Provides opportunities for dialogue, direct or indirect, between victims and offenders, as appropriate

Involves the affected community through the justice process

Q Restorative justice does not have to apply to the hardest cases alone. Imagine you are a victim or a perpetrator of a smaller crime- say stealing a bike. How could restorative justice resolve such a crime.

Representing these people, act out a mediation using restorative justice. Stay in character.

Victim-had bike stolen Mother of victim Perpetrator-stole the bike Mediator

Making it Easier to Choose Life

Legislation Changing sexual behavior Addressing poverty Making work/school more parent

friendly Stopping violence against women Encouraging greater involvement by

men