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Good morning. The tragedy of another terrorist attack at London Bridge has led to political debate of serious questions of investment in and policies on prisons, probation and justice. Yet underneath the fear of future incidents, remains the deeper issues of rehabilitation of offenders and whether individuals and ideologies of violence can be redeemed. Jack Merritt and Saskia Jones, who were killed in the attack, were both involved in Cambridge University’s Learning Together, an educational initiative of forming a community of students from both outside and within prison. Such initiatives have recently been energised by the US Inside-Out programme which began at Temple University in 1997 and is now present in a number of UK universities including my own here at Durham. At its core is a belief in social change through transformative education across profound social barriers. The hope is that through collaboration and dialogue, leadership will emerge in addressing crime, justice, and other issues of social concern. Among the many tributes paid to Mr Merritt, one came from barrister Tim Storrie, who had met him at Warren Hill prison and said he had ‘saved lives through his work….His open heartedness, his drive and his faith in the redemption of prisoners through education shone out’. Of course, such a redemption of the person does not inevitably mean early release from prison or an easy reintegration into society. There are complex questions of justice for crimes committed, protection of the public, and the pressures of mental health and external influences. This is particularly the case with those formed by terrorist ideologies. Yet, it seems to me that the fear that rehabilitation is impossible should not subvert the faith that education can transform lives, change attitudes to violence and help in creating new possibilities. Indeed as a Christian my faith in the possibility of redemption, which includes the gift of education, goes deeper. In 1729, a group of students from Oxford University, including the founder of Methodism, John Wesley began visits to Castle prison and experienced in a profound way that God’s grace meets both the inmate and the visitor. They believed that the God they saw in Jesus was all about justice but also all about mercy and had a concern for the salvation of all people. Despite tragedy, the example of Saskia Jones and Jack Merritt coupled with my Christian understanding of God’s concern for all strengthens my faith in the possibility of redemption and a commitment to education and support for those inside and out of prison.
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