The Committee on Restorative Justice and Mercy Ministries of the North Carolina Conference is committed to providing services and opportunities for United Methodists in the North Carolina Conference to achieve and maintain an understanding of prison ministry and the importance of prison reform based on Christian principles. The Committee seeks to relate in a Christian manner to the individual offender and his/her family and to victims and their families.
The Committee’s mission is accomplished by sharing goals and objectives through workshops on Criminal Justice and Mercy Ministries, by developing and promoting an understanding of the Biblical mandate, through the coordination of all programs that fulfill our mission, and by identifying opportunities and focusing on resources. All efforts of the Committee are shared with the conference, districts, local churches and the community at large.
To reduce crime and to deal with offenders and their families, strategies emphasize education and prevention of crime, alternatives to prison, fair sentencing, proposing programs and ministries, victim awareness, victim restitution, counseling of families of offenders, restoration of victims of crimes, substance abuse, vocational training of offenders, and employment of those released from prison.