wfn.org | Australian Anglican Criminal Justice Ministry merges with Anglicare

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

ACNS 2874 - AUSTRALIA - 12 February 2002

Anglican Criminal Justice Ministry merges with Anglicare

[Anglican Media Melbourne] Victoria's Anglican Criminal Justice Ministry has
this year come under the umbrella of Anglicare Victoria - a move designed to
create a greater support network for the Ministry's activities.

The Revd Jonathan Chambers, who as Senior Chaplain co-ordinates the Ministry
and is now based at Anglicare's head office in West Melbourne, said the
greatest need for prisoners was for assistance when they were released. He
believes if parish volunteers can be equipped with professional skills, an
important support network could be developed.

At present, prisoners are released and there is limited support for them on
leaving gaol. "The prison system's ethos has been to look after prisoners
until they are released," Mr Chambers said. "There needs to be on-going
assistance - provision of accommodation, help with job prospects and
emotional support - to ensure they are able to adjust back into society and
to have other options than returning to former friendship networks which
would lead to criminal activity."

Mr Chambers tells a story, which he says, is all too common. Last year a man
was released from a maximum-security prison in Gippsland and was met by old
friends who were into drugs. However he only got as far as the next town
before overdosing and dying.

Mr Chambers said the Ministry's role was to provide chaplaincy services in
all Victorian prisons, and it had government contracts to carry out this
work in both government and private prisons.

One of the primary aims is to help prisoners maintain contact with society
and their families whilst in prison - especially so that release becomes
smoother.

"The hardest thing is when the prisoner gets out, they need support - but
often the family unit has broken down."

Mr Chambers said about 80 per cent of people in Victorian prisons today were
incarcerated because of crimes relating to drugs. He said that there had
also been a 30 per cent increase in the number of people in Victorian gaols
over the past five years - with the drug problem again the major reason.

"Usually the crime committed is theft in order to feed their drug habit," Mr
Chambers said. "Unfortunately we tend to treat these people as criminals,
not as addicts or someone with an illness. We need to find better ways of
dealing with the drug problem our society has today."

The Anglican Criminal Justice Ministry comprises 13 Chaplains, as well as
the Senior Chaplain. Anglican chaplains work with other faiths and
denominations in providing a chaplaincy service. "We're there for anybody
looking for spiritual support, or someone to talk to - we provide someone
who cares and has a listening ear without an agenda," Mr Chambers said.

_______________________________________________
The ACNSlist is published by the Anglican Communion Office, London.

Please send QUESTIONS or COMMENTS to acnslist@anglicancommunion.org