Evangelicals & Justice, Moral Formation, and Father Involvement Outcomes

Introduction — When Leniency Ignores Character Signals

Justice symbolizes moral boundaries, not emotional reaction

A recent troubling and utterly mind-boggling sentencing decision has been brought to my attention. An African American Judge chose to unilaterally reduce a jail term from sixty-five years and reduce it in half despite a jury recommendation. An unmistakably visible courtroom act of disrespect raises a difficult but necessary question: What is justice communicating when defiance is met with unmerited leniency?

Unbelievably, the African American defendant (Christopher Thompson) told the Judge (Tracy Davis) during the proceeding that if he was close enough, he would spit on her. Yet, it is abundantly clear from the Judge's final sentencing that none of that mattered. In Judge Davis' orbit, a person can display clear and undeniable disrespect and still receive mercy and leniency.

God has ordained the Courts, most certainly a vital and necessary part of human government, to do more than merely mete out punishment. God has ordained the Courts as a mechanism for teaching. By God's inscrutable design, sentencing communicates moral boundaries to the watching public and deters those who follow.

Biblical justice is never separated from moral truth:

“He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the Lord.” — Proverbs 17:15

When consequences are softened in the presence of an unrepentant posture, the moral signal becomes distorted. All because a sitting Judge allows her sorted worldview to disrespect the victim and reward the guilty defendant when no such reward is warranted.

Father Involvement Outcomes — What the Research Shows

Father engagement strongly correlates with child stability

Decades of converging social-science research show that father involvement is one of the strongest predictors of positive child outcomes — especially for boys.

According to research summaries compiled by the National Fatherhood Initiative:

• Children in father-absent homes are significantly more likely to experience behavioral problems

• Boys without engaged fathers show higher rates of delinquency and later incarceration

• Father presence correlates with higher graduation rates and lower substance abuse

• Emotional regulation scores improve with paternal involvement

Research overview hub:https://www.fatherhood.org/father-absence-statistic

The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention has repeatedly reported strong associations between family structure instability and youth offending patterns. None of this comes as a surprise for the serious Christ-follower because the Holy Writ screams of the proper manner that future generations are to be raised. That Dads Matter is a Sine Qua Non, despite the Cultural Elites' denials, rebukes, and rebuttals.

Patrick Moynihan sounded the alarm in 1965, and while his detractors labelled him a racist, his warnings are now proving to be prescient. I carry no water for Moynihan as he chose to caucus with the Democratic Party, but I remind you that all truth is God's Truth.

OJJDP data portal:https://ojjdp.ojp.gov

Public Justice and Private Formation Are Connected

Moral formation happens through relational authority

Cultural conversations often isolate criminal justice from family formation. That separation is artificial.

Character is not formed at the moment of sentencing — it is formed across years of authority recognition, discipline, and moral instruction. The offender, Christopher Thompson, is a full volition creature, so I am not in any way excusing his deplorable behavior, but it is almost certain, without doing any research, that Thompson had no positive male presence in his formation in adulthood, and I employ the term adulthood only in resignation, as I do not know of another term to use. But let there be no mistake, Christopher Thompson may be an adult in biological terms, but he displayed the moral and social maturity of a three-year-old, and that is likely an insult to all three-year-olds everywhere.

Unless and until Christopher Thompson repents, he will die and perish, and he will have no one to blame but himself. But two things can be true: Thompson is a deplorable person, AND his parents, especially his father, failed him MISERABLY.

The Brookings Institution’s “success sequence” model shows that completing education, entering the workforce, and marrying before having children dramatically reduces the risk of poverty and exposure to criminal activity.

Biblical Theology of Accountability

Biblical justice ties mercy to repentance

Scripture consistently links mercy to repentance—never to defiance.

“Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.” — Proverbs 28:13

Justice without mercy is tyranny. Mercy without repentance is moral disorder.

Both are distortions, and Judge Davis will one day stand before the Judge, and she will be found Weighed and Wanting, pun most certainly intended🤣🤣🤣!

Why This Conversation Requires Courage

Discussing fatherhood and formation data is often treated as socially uncomfortable — but refusing to discuss causal drivers guarantees policy failure.

Naming causes is not condemnation. It is a diagnosis. I blog as one who simply seeks to call Balls & Strikes!

A culture that will not diagnose the disease will endlessly manage symptoms. The disease is spiritual rebellion. Watch the clip and see for yourself. I want to acknowledge The BlackConservativePerspective forbringing this matter to the light of day.

I am so encouraged that God is raising up a vocal generation of African Americans to push back against the darkness, especially so among African Americans males.

A society will never flourish without strong male leadership and that in no way impugns the vital roles that my XX chromosomes friends play.

Conclusion — Moral Clarity Is Compassion

True compassion is not consequence avoidance. It is truth-telling about formation, responsibility, repentance, and structure.

Justice must remain anchored in moral reality—not emotional optics.

With fear & trembling,

Ricky V Kyles Sr. DEd.Min