Our Chaplains visit each and every one of our clients who are incarcerated every single month or in the case of Cook County Jail every single week. In fact, the Hinda Institute services any human being that requests our services regardless of their belief systems or denomination.
We currently visit 150 to 200 clients every month within multiple institutions traveling 45,000 miles across Illinois. The secret to our low recidivism rate is that we form life-long connections with our clients and mentor them within the correctional institution and then during reentry.
The chaplains listen, counsel, teach, bring our newsletter or other reading material and are famous for telling the Hinda joke of the month. Most importantly, we remind people of their humanity, give them hope for the future and offer spirituality in a time of despair.
We remind them that there is someone who cares and remembers them, when there often is no one else. We help them to envision a better life and the possibility of transformation.
Understanding the Issue
Most of our clients are striving to become functioning members of our society and contributors to their communities.
Research has indicated that faith based association, strong relationships and mentoring significantly reduces recidivism rates.
We provide these elements both during and post incarceration.
