Law, Systems, and Freedom
- Raymond Melendez
- May 8
- 3 min read
A quiet transformation is awakening criminal justice in the U.S. and U.K., where the focus is shifting from sentencing to rehabilitation—mirroring a safe place found in Numbers 35, a time when God established cities of refuge and appointed the Levites to guard the law of refuge. They were to offer a safe path toward restoration and freedom in the same way modern systems of law do. Though complex and rigid, they are designed to offer a path to renewal. Whether through diversion programs, support-based courts, or community alternatives, justice is both firm and merciful, reflecting a deeper truth: the law not only restrains, it also restores and frees.
Restorative Law: A Path to Freedom
In Midland County, Texas, the MiHOPE program offers a living example of how the law serves not merely as a system to trap but as a path to restoration and freedom. Rooted in the same principle found in Numbers 35—where God ordained cities of refuge—MiHOPE provides an alternative to incarceration, where justice is firm and responsible, offering counseling, job training, and support. Jesus critiqued the misuse of legal authority in Matthew 23; yet he did not condemn the law itself but called for it to be complete. Systems should essentially free individuals from an endless cycle, ensuring they are part of progress—helping people reach beyond the system itself (Linthicum 45).
Systems That Lead to Freedom
In Johnson County, Kansas, the justice system is undergoing a subtle reformation—one that sees offenders not as convicts, but as people in need of restoration and freedom. Through specialty courts addressing mental health, addiction, and socioeconomic instability, the county is working to break cycles within the criminal system by targeting root causes. This mirrors a deeper truth: systems, no matter how well-designed, are traps when they only serve as a means of survival. Just as God made a way through the Red Sea for Moses and the Israelites, Jesus leads the world not only through the systems but also restores and frees us from them. Justice systems are more than institutions of control; they offer restoration and freedom by ending the cycles within as individuals progress beyond the system (Zehr 89).
From Cycles to Freedom: The Call to Reform
Across the Atlantic, the U.K. is embracing “Texas-style” courts, borrowing from successful American models that address the root causes of repeat offenders. These courts aim not just to confine but to rehabilitate. This change in justice highlights a fundamental principle: true freedom arises not from the systems themselves, but from disrupting the cycles they perpetuate. As Paul writes in Romans 8, Christ sets us free from the law of sin and death—liberating us from the systems that confine us. The Book of Mormon echoes this promise of redemption through Christ, who doesn’t just guide us through the systems but leads us beyond them. Just as God raises leaders to point the way forward, so must justice systems evolve so they don't simply process people but restore and free them (Mauer 134).
Justice: Leading Beyond the System
From Midland County to Johnson County to the U.K., a quiet revolution is awakening justice—one that replaces cycles with Christ-like leadership. Programs like MiHOPE and specialty courts recognize that crime often stems from something deeper. These initiatives do more than guide individuals through the justice system—they help them progress over time, pointing the way toward freedom. This reflects the very heart of Christ’s mission. He does not merely lead us within the limits of our systems; He is the breakthrough. As more leaders rise with his vision and spirit, the world becomes a doorway to freedom—helping individuals reach beyond the systems.
Works Cited
