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Criticism and harsh treatment never helped or inspired anyone to change. It just perpetuates the problem. Prison often makes inmates worse than when they went in. The answer is love, Jo tells us in these books. And one form of love is education. I think inmates would benefit from reading Harry Potter, as would everyone else.

I can’t believe some people have a problem with Jo encouraging reading!!!

I’m really sorry about your experience Professor Potter. Crime is a terrible thing,but forgiveness is great. Most crimes are committed by people who are uneducated, who don’t know the difference between what is really right and wrong. The world has too much grey, rather than just black and white, and it’s what makes us all human. But crime isn’t something most people do for the fun of it. It’s usually done because the perpetrator has been driven by utter desperation, or else because he doesn’t know love, or has never known love. I can completely understand how you feel. My friend had a similar experience some years back, and she still feels criminals need to be punished, not forgiven, so I know what you must be feeling.

Coming to Jo, well, what do I say. I have no words for the humility and grace this lady has. She is the only person I consider to be a role model for me, and I’m not someone who really has any “ideal” as such, but Jo, well, she really truly is amazing. Despite all the problems surrounding her at present, she still goes forward and does charity, which she believes is important, and which is close to her heart. Love you Jo!!

looks like JKR is well informed about the classic Christian virtues, not only are the Horcruxes very close parallels to the 7 cardinal sins, she also practice the 7 Works of Charity. 1) feeding the hungry 2) clothing the naked. 3) giving water to the thirsty 4) buring the dead 5) visiting the prisoners 6) nursing the sick 7)harbouring the strangers.

this is the 5th Work of Charity, her sponsering the MS funds is the 6th.

Kamion, I know most of the works of charity as the corporal works of mercy, except for the “visiting the prisoners”, I know as “to ransom the captive”; . But, since the original works of St. Thomas Aquinas are subject to translation and interpretation, I will not say you are incorrect. She also has encompassed at least one of the spiritual works of mercy/charity.

spiritual works of mercy To instruct the ignorant; To counsel the doubtful; To admonish sinners; To bear wrongs patiently; (if this doesn’t cover dealing w/RDR &SVA I don’t know what does) To forgive offences willingly; To comfort the afflicted; To pray for the living and the dead.

Nylorac, it could be there is difference in translating in the English or the Dutch…but Matteus 25, speaks of For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. (King James Bible) There it’s where I got it from

Kamion, as I said, you are not wrong, neither am I.

Professor Potter I’m very much inclined to agree with you. Although I respect everyone’s opinion in this thread, and yes I realize that there are those prison inmates who have not committed brutal acts of violence, I have to say that most criminals don’t act out of desperation (a la Les Miserables) or due to lack of love. These people resort to crime because it’s more lucrative for them to break the law than abide by it and earn an honest living.

Rather than waiting until an individual becomes a criminal and is sentenced to prison, why not an attempt to reach the person sooner, preferably while he’s still in school. Each one of those prison inmates was a student at some point in his life. Why didn’t they seek to learn to read while they were in school and a teacher was making an effort to instruct them?

JKR should endeavor to speak to children while they’re still in elementary school and present literacy awards to children who are working hard to learn to read. Rewarding the kids in such a way would serve as a tremendous incentive to those kids to continue to learn and possibly avoid a life of crime altogether.

Prof Potter I understand your emotions about criminals, you are right some of them have done very bad things, dificult to forgive them.

I myself try to understand what have made them so cruel and inhuman. And I am working since about 20 years to try to help people emotionally to let go of a lot of acumulated experiences, trying to make ” a better world” with less cruelty.

I have been giving workshops in prision too, to help the prisioners contact with themselves and grow in their human potencials.

What bothers me about prisions that only a part of the “bad” people are inside. I have the idea that for one prisioner there are 10 outside who have done the same or worse and go on with the “normal” life without punishments.

I think that Jo is right and curageous to read in a prision. Johnny Cash one of my favorite singers gave some concert in prision too and I had the impresion that he too enyoed it.