The prison concerns committee of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire is unanimously opposed to privatizing our state prisons. Our research has shown us that private corporations will not fill the needs of our inmates or our general population. As Christians we believe all people are created in God’s image and are equally loved by God. In our baptismal vows we promise to “seek and serve Christ in all persons” and “respect the dignity of every human being”. As part of respecting dignity justice should not be for sale to the lowest bidder.
There is a fundamental difference between making prisons profitable and rehabilitating prisoners. Rehabilitation requires education and skills training to prepare for reintegration into our communities. That is not free. Prisons that are safe for inmates, for staff and for the public require well-trained and fairly compensated staff. That is not free. Nor are counseling or medical care free. Profitability, on the other hand, requires spending the least possible amount each step of the way and paying close attention to the bottom line so that shareholders will be well compensated. It is only We the People represented by our Government who, with the purpose of the Common Good, can construct a penal system committed to justice, public safety and the rehabilitation of those citizens who require that re-formation.
New Hampshire will be judged by how we treat the least powerful among us: children, the poor, the imprisoned, women, the homeless, the jobless, the immigrants. We want all of us to have opportunities for growth and for amendment of life so that together we may create a better society.