Jail chaplain uses his life experiences and religious faith to help others
By John Koski
SLN Staff
It’s an address few want to claim – 1770 County Road NN, Elkhorn – but for those who reside there, the
choice wasn’t theirs, the courts made the decision for them.
It is the address of the Walworth County Law Enforcement Center. At the back of the complex is the county jail and adjacent Huber facility, for those on work release.
It’s also where Larry Hansen volunteers as the chaplain for both facilities. It’s a job – a passion, really – that he’s been doing there for more than 20 years.
The road to becoming a chaplain was a bumpy one for Hansen, but his experiences have served him well in understanding and empathizing with the incarcerated individuals he works with every day.
His early years were spent growing up on the rough-and-tumble streets of Chicago in the 1950s. It’s a story he tells with heavy emotion.
“I had committed some crimes and was a runaway,” he said softly and slowly. “I spent time in the Audy juvenile home, as well as the old Cook County jail.”
During one of his court appearances, Hansen recalled, “a man came to court with my father. It made a tremendous impression on me that this man, who was studying to be a pastor, said something to the judge that made a difference. He stood alongside me, not knowing me, and was willing to be an advocate for me.
“Did it change my life? No, but I think something inside of me said, ‘I think I would like to do that someday.’”
A decade later, Hansen had another experience.
“A man in our church who worked as a truck driver was killed in an accident,” he said. “There was a chaplain from his trucking company at the funeral, and it made profound impact on me. I recall thinking, ‘There are people who care about others and who want to make a difference in their lives.’ I realized it was something I wanted to do.”
It took a few more years and one or two more experiences, but Hansen ultimately completed the training necessary to become a chaplain. The seed that had been planted when he was a youngster had finally come to fruition.
Finding his niche
Hansen’s work at the Walworth County jail and Huber facility isn’t easy.
On a daily basis, he deals with people accused or convicted of possessing drugs, embezzling, theft, rape, battery and a host of other crimes.
It is on that underbelly of society where Hansen has found his niche.
“I feel compelled to be here,” he said. “I find deep satisfaction in helping people change their lives.
“Jesus talked about visiting the sick,” he said, “giving water to the thirsty, food to the hungry and visiting those in prison. It’s the same thing that Mother Teresa talked about.”
Hansen’s thoughts do indeed seem to echo those of Mother Teresa, who formed a religious order to love and care for those nobody else was prepared or willing to look after.
“We cannot do great things on this Earth,” she once said, “only small things with great love.”
“When I come into this facility,” Hansen said, “I look for Christ in people knowing that God can do a work in their lives.
“It’s all about touching people’s lives. It’s important to listen and to empathize, and to show people that they can change their lives by trusting in God.”
It’s not always easy, of course.
“There are those who struggle with the demons of addiction, whether it’s alcohol or drugs,” Hansen said. “There are relapses, but I believe that Christ reaches down and forgives them and picks them up each time they fall. And that’s what we do – we keep working with them.”
Hanson knows those demons all too well. He has lived with them and they have haunted him.
As an adult, the demons of alcoholism took over his life – not once, but twice.
Hanson is fully aware of where his personal demons reside and he’s not about to go near them.
“There was alcohol in my life,” he said quietly, “and I just can’t open that door. I keep that door shut. I have an addictive personality and now I’m addicted to Jesus.”
Putting it on ice
For others it’s much more difficult. For some, jail time is a nuisance that gets in the way of a life of addiction on the outside.
Just last week, Hansen said, an inmate told him, “You know, there are a lot of addicts here, and while we’re here we put our addictions on ice. Whether we’re going to jail or to rehab, we put our addiction in the freezer. And when we leave, we take it out and it thaws out.”
That is just one of the challenges Hansen faces.
“We deal with anger, bitterness, denial and irresponsibility,” he said. “Some people have masked their problem through drug and alcohol use. Usually when people end up here, their relationships are shattered and their life is a mess.
“I think our success rate is about 25 percent,” Hansen said, “which is really high. Those who succeed are people who are serious about turning their lives around and who stay with it.
“We believe that when people hear the word of God and apply it to their lives, and when we work with them and pray with them, it cuts down on recidivism.
“With government programs,” Hansen continued, “the success rate is five to seven percent.
“We define success as a good transition back into the community, where people are able to function in a family setting and to hold a job.
“We give them the tools and show them how to function in life – how to make restitution and how to reconcile with their families and society,” Hansen said. “It’s a real challenge for people to face, and it’s a daily routine.
“In the past, they may have used drugs and alcohol to cover up and avoid those challenges and the decisions they needed to make.
“My task is to give them the tools that help give them a foundation for their spirituality,” Hansen said. “I believe we are made up of three parts: body, mind and spirit. If we can get all three parts in balance, one way or another, we can cut down on recidivism.”
Beyond the gates
Hansen’s work doesn’t end once a person leaves the jail or Huber facility.
“A big part of it is who picks you up at the gate or at the door,” he said. “It pretty well determines what direction you will go. If your buddies pick you up you could be in a bar or at a party within 24 hours.”
That’s why Hansen and others provide one-on-one mentoring to those who have been released.
“It can be difficult when people go back to their former environment,” he said, “but it can make a tremendous difference if they have someone who can walk with them through the difficult times. One-on-one mentoring is where we have our greatest need.”
Hansen is also assistant director of Mt. Zion House, which provides drug and alcohol rehabilitation for men and women.
“Our women’s house in Elkhorn currently has four women, while our men’s house in Lake Geneva has 18 men,” he said.
“A number of people come directly from jail to our six-month program. The first month they are in the house they only have letter-writing capabilities – they have no phone access or visits. It’s a time for them to get cleaned up and they attend classes on relationships and accountability.
“At the end of the first month, they go out and get a first-shift job. They need to be back in the house by 5:00, and then they attend evening classes. We offer them hope and the tools they need to succeed. For some people, it’s a new beginning.
“We don’t force anything on anybody. It’s all voluntary,” Hansen said, “and it’s my passion, and it’s my life.”
For more information about volunteering, contact Hansen at (262) 249-8934 or [email protected]. Go to www.mtzionhouse.org to learn more about Mt. Zion House.
