forgiving crimes

I have watched plenty of interviews of crime targets. Frequently, the target is asked if he/she forgives the assailant. My reaction is always the same. I want to counsel the target to say, “Forgiveness is between me and God. You don’t need to know.” One writing prompt for students is, “Have I asked God’s help to forgive someone? Write about it.” For young students, this situation may not have arisen, but for every adult forgiveness becomes a challenge. My faith tells me that God will forgive me according to the measure I have forgiven others, all others. In life, one gets two choices: do what is right or do what is wrong. As the end nears, the choices are bumped up to three: heaven, purgatory, or hell.