Fahd Bin Jleid
Losing hope is a difficult stage in a prisoner’s life, which is harsher than imprisonment. Such people would lead the life of a prisoner even after their release because, with their lack of vision for a bright future, they become hopeless and consider life as a continuation of their losses.
A freed prisoner may return to crimes because of the silent punishment society gives him by not accepting him back as a normal member even though he wants to begin a new life, following his harsh and bitter experience. If he continues to make mistakes because he loses hope, society must take part of the blame.
This week the Hayer Prison in Riyadh celebrated the release of a number of prisoners after their recovery from drug addiction. This is the result of a new program introduced by the Ministry of Interior for the rehabilitation of drug addicts by providing them with necessary treatment and counseling.
The ministry’s Ishraqa Center is the last stop for anyone detained for drug addiction. The center rejuvenates hope in prisoners to start a better life upon their release. The rehab program would enable the prisoner to realize his mistakes and prevent any relapse through counseling sessions and prepare him to find a decent job.
I am not in a position to blow my trumpet to promote this program. But I thought it was my duty to convey the successful stories of people who have recovered from drug addiction through the program. These people had lost all hope and taken to drugs in a weak moment of their life.
The rehabilitation of prisoners and detainees comes as part of a reform program carried out by the Interior Ministry, which has already won international acclaim as a hope-giving program for its counseling program targeting militants involved in terrorist operations.
The Ishraqa Center is a new step in the same direction. It gives hope for drug addicts to start life anew with necessary treatment and guidance and by providing employment. The ministry follows up the cases of released prisoners and removes all obstacles before them.
This great idea has been proved successful and hundreds of drug addicts have benefited from it. This deserves to be highlighted and commended. The program needs greater government support in order to cover all jails across the Kingdom.
The families and society at large have a bigger role to play by accepting these individuals and helping them to start life again. Otherwise, we will lose them forever even after giving them essential support and training inside prisons and detention centers.
