Should Michael Vick have a second chance?

Maureen O'Connell, assistant professor of theology at Fordham University, asks about second chances for criminal offenders focusing on NFL player Michael Vick who was sent to prison for participating in illegal dog fighting.


... the Philadelphia Eagles may have offered this high-profile ex-offender the most definitive separator: a second chance. Yes, we can and should question the motives of all involved and the integrity of the deal which has the potential to earn Vick $7 million over the next three years. But given that the shocking number of Americans affected by incarceration is only exacerbated by equally shocking rates of recidivism—conservative estimates by the Bureau of Justice Statistics suggest that 2/3 of prisoners are rearrested within three years of their release—we might do well to lift up the prophetic potential in this situation.

h/t to Cathy Grossman at USAToday who is also running a poll on whether you think he should have this second chance.

Posted by Ann Fontaine on August 16, 2009 8:00 PM | |
Comments (4)

Isn't the Christian life all about repentance, forgiveness, and second chances?

Posted by Tom Sramek, Jr. [TypeKey Profile Page] | August 16, 2009 10:05 PM

Yes, Christian life is all about repentance, forgiveness and second chances -- but nothing in Christianity says a seven million dollar windfall is an essential component to those three things, or even conducive to any of them. Christian history is replete with the examples of saints who, as sinners who fell from great social heights, spent the rest of their lives quietly working out their repentance in humble toil with frugal living, often on the margins and far from the limelight. One must "produce fruit in keeping with repentance" (Luke 3:8).

Posted by Gregory [TypeKey Profile Page] | August 17, 2009 1:15 AM

Everyone should get a second chance. Everyone should 70 times 7 chances.

Posted by Fred Schwartz [TypeKey Profile Page] | August 17, 2009 2:05 AM

Maybe the Eagles can give him $490/game?

Josh Bowron

Posted by Josh [TypeKey Profile Page] | August 17, 2009 11:01 AM

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