About
The Hijrah House (a halfway house) is a place where recently release
inmates, who have no family or financial means can have an interim stay
during their transition back into society’s mainstream. The purpose of
a halfway house is to help transform these individuals into useful and
contributing members of society so that they do not end up back in jail.
Services Provided by a Transition House:
- Provide room & board to inmates just released from prison.
- Help them become independent to get back on their feet.
- Teach basic skills such as responsibility, discipline, and sharing. They start out by learning cooking, cleaning, and washing and then go on to learning home budgeting.
- Provide an atmosphere where residents can practice their faith as well as learn appropriate life-coping skills.
- Provide job training, resume service and job hunting assistance and maintain a list of employers who hire ex-inmates for tax credit.
Some Facts:
- In the year 2000 Virginians paid $25,000 per inmate to keep the inmates in the prisons. According to a study conducted by Virginia Department of Corrections, 27% of the inmates will return to the prison within 2 years of their release. By keeping just one individual out of prison, the society will save $25,000 per year.
- The inmates with support from their families or the society are less likely to return to prison and be a burden on the society.
- The best way to transform an inmate is to meet his/her faith needs. While meeting the faith needs of the inmates, faith-based charities help bring peace and tranquility in the operation of the prison system.