Statewide
recidivism is 54%* compared to RITAS Ministry's
which was 9% in 2002, 15% in 2003 and 27% in 2004
due to the increase in the number of clients with no
increase in staff. Since the cost of housing one
inmate per year is on the average of $23,000.00, RITAS Ministry has saved over $3,000,000.00 of
Illinois taxpayers dollars**. Reduction in
recidivism means fewer victims, an immeasurable
savings of reparations of damages caused by crime,
and the savings in judicial costs.
RITAS Ministry,
Restoring Inmate’s to America’s Society, was the
brainchild of Deacon Rick and Linda Martin beginning
in March of 1996. The agency received its’ 501 C-3
not for profit status on October 8th, 1997 and is
governed by a Board of Directors.
In 1998 RITAS
Ministry co-founded the Restorative Justice
Committee of Illinois. In 2005, RITAS Ministry was
recognized as being one of the top leaders of
offender reentry aftercare by being formally invited
to be a member of the Governor's executive committee
for offender reentry.
