Thought for the Day
I recently visited a Young Offender Institution. I talked to older teenage lads about their life before custody, to which they would soon return. Even allowing for exaggeration, their stories were disturbing - families without fathers, abuse and violence, absences from school, gangs and drugs. I asked one of the prison officers - whose whole life had been in the Prison Service - what he thought was powerful enough to change the patterns of behaviour they described. His answer took me by surprise. I thought he might say, 'They need to learn basic educational and social skills', or, 'They need a job' - both of which are important. But, after pausing, he said, 'I only know two things that are that powerful: the love of a good woman and religion'. He had seen young men change because they wanted to keep the love of a girl who didn't want a boyfriend whose behaviour got him into trouble with the law. He had seen others change under the influence of a religious faith. I should add that he had no idea that I was a priest. Now, although I don't doubt the truth of what he said, it does present those who are concerned in any way with policy-making with a difficulty. There is no way that the Youth Justice Board or the Prison Service can supply either girlfriends or religion.
But perhaps the prison officer does remind us of something we easily forget in policy-making: the cruciality of people.
I went into two churches this week. One had large boards on either side of the altar on which were written the Ten Commandments. Thou shalt not do this and thou shalt not do that. The other was dominated by an icon of Christ. I am sure that the behaviour of Christian people can be influenced by recalling the commandments. But my guess would be that more critical in shaping the response of Christians to life's temptations is the haunting image of the suffering Christ. In a nutshell, if there is someone we admire, respect, love - we want to please them by behaving well.
We do need to get education and training right for these troubled and troublesome young men; but we also need to bring them into meaningful contact with people whom they can come to respect and trust. Some of those will be people doing their job; more will have to be mentors or volunteers - you and me perhaps.
This weekend, commentators have been telling the Prime Minister elect what new policies are needed to cure the nation's ills. He might care to reflect, though, on this. Politics can put right many things, but not the one thing needful: human nature. That requires something far more powerful - the love of a good woman, religious faith, a relationship of trust. Everything may be politics, but politics isn't everything.
Rev Dr Allan Billings - Radio 4
