Muhammad Bin Naif Center holds over 20,000 counseling sessions

Ali Al-Rubaie RIYADH — Muhammad Bin Naif Counseling and Care Center has conducted more than 20,000 counseling sessions for inmates. A source at the center said the counseling sessions were offered to 3,000 inmates and detained individuals, including 27 women. “The center aims at rehabilitating those who have committed crimes and helps them return to the righteous path and conform to the rest of society. The center offers a variety of services ranging from individual counseling sessions to workshops and lectures given to a large group of inmates,” said the source. He also said the center offered more than 16,000 individual counseling sessions for more than 2,000 inmates and detained individuals. “The center offered 142 educational seminars. The center also has a comprehensive counseling program offered to a total of 309 inmates. And 27 women inmates went through 134 counseling sessions. The center offered 15 programs for preventive counseling in 12 provinces,” said the source. He also said the counseling sessions are offered to released prisoners, current prisoners and detainees returning from Guantanamo Bay. “The sessions were organized and offered by a team of 262 individuals working for the center. The center had an 85 percent success rate in rehabilitating the inmates and preventing them from relapsing. Some 15 percent of inmates return to the criminal life despite the counseling sessions,” said the source. The source also said the center focuses on offering counseling, rehabilitation and care toward inmates and detained individuals. “The sessions are given inside prisons and outside. The center believes in intellectual engagement and advice as the effective means of confronting extremism. The center offers informative and intellectual sessions based on Islamic guidance. The center also has a sports program to improve the physical health of inmates,” said the source.