Submitted by: SVdP’s Restorative Justice Ministry
“Dean” has been in and out of trouble since he was a teenager. Now in his early 40’s, and with a history of multiple incarcerations, he has never been able to hold down a steady job. Most of his crimes were related to substance abuse: being drunk, disorderly or “high” in public; shoplifting; “picking up” a motor bike that has been parked in front of someone’s house for a couple of days, because “it appeared to be abandoned”; stealing car parts (he has a brother in the automotive business) that he thought his brother meant to give him, etc.

The judges in the San Mateo County Court system know him very, very well! He has tried addiction programs but without success. He always attends Communion Services when he is locked up, and talks about how he wants to get his life together upon release. Over the years, he has periodically brought his mother, who is now in her mid-80’s, to visit with SVdP program staff, to show her that he really does know people on the outside, who are not addicts.

We have encouraged his parents and family to attend Al-Anon support meetings. Just recently, he was released from incarceration again. He hoped to return to his parents’ house, but his three brothers banned him from going inside the house at all, only allowing him permission to sleep in the garage. His mother just can’t bear the thought of that, so every night after Dean’s father is asleep, she unlocks the front door so he can slip into his bed – he must be outside again early every morning before dad, 88 years old, wakes up and finds him there!

Our head RJ Chaplain continues to work with him post-release (and with the family). This time, “Dean” has declared that he is very tired of his old way of living and that he truly is going to “clean up his act.” We are all rejoicing and praying that this will happen, as this as we have never seen him so determined to change his life. So far, he is showing a strong commitment to changing his life. He is continuing to meet regularly with our RJ Chaplain. He gets food help during the day at SVdP’s Homeless Help centers, clothing assistance from SVdP’s Thrift Stores, and has a commitment from SVdP that if he completes a day (non—residential) substance abuse treatment program, AA meetings, and finds a sponsor, we will support him in his job search and work with him to get his driver’s license back.

SVdP’s Restorative Justice ministry is about encountering those affected by crime, offering spiritual presence and emotional accompaniment for those profoundly in need of mercy and hope. We work very hard to mitigate the impact of crime in our communities with the goal restoring to wholeness victims, their families, the detained, and those who are released. We can never give up hope as God’s unconditional love and divine mercy calls us to also be merciful.