Archdiocese in Mexico: 'Involve Family In Resocializing Prisoners' EWTN News
go to original October 27, 2012

The Archdiocese of Mexico City's weekly paper, Desde la Fe, used a recent editorial to criticize the country's resocialization programs for prisoners, saying that they should take into account the convict's family.

"Public policies that aim to re-socialize inmates without taking into account the family unit that surrounds them have not only completely failed, but also have led a large percentage of former inmates to commit new offenses," the newspaper stated.

"We cannot be indifferent and sidestep the fragile prison situation that exists in Mexico. The monstrous corruption that rules in these institutions clearly shows that with the present system and the personnel leading it, we will never prevent crime, and it will be impossible to find a path towards authentic social reinsertion for prisoners," Desde la Fe warned.

It said the Mexican prison system "collapsed some time ago" and that prison overcrowding is affecting "some 325,000 families" who are "singled out in their communities" and "in many cases, are excluded from social programs.

"Various entities of the Republic, including Mexico City, do not have programs to care for the family members of prisoners, who often pay the price for what their imprisoned relative did," the newspaper said.

It also noted that the decision to mix inmates who committed minor offenses with more dangerous inmates has resulted in the former "coming out of prison trained to kidnap or to kill ... and becoming bloody crime bosses who formed their criminal gangs while in jail."

Today more than ever, the newspaper said, all Mexicans should realize that "everyone can contribute to preventing crime and to fostering peace and non-violence."

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