If you would change a person, you must love him first.
I don't pretend to know all, or to be perfect in how I treat others, but I do know love is an element we, in large part, leave out of our correctional system. Where is the love for the criminal? You might laugh that I should even ask. Why would we be soft and tender toward murderers, and arsonists, and burglars, and rapists?
Why would we even give them the time of day? If we are to love them, we must give them our time. What is that public service ad in the Homefront series? "Give them everything. Give them your time."
The thought is that if you love your children, you will give them your time.
It is no different with criminals. If we, as a society, are to love them, we must visit them. I think of the scripture where a person asks Christ, "When saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?"
I think of the studies of how babies respond to love, and of how they need love. Adults are no different. They respond -- become better people -- when shown love.
Why would we leave this out of our equation, then, in our corrections system? Love is vital, if we are to rehabilitate the criminal.
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