Criminal JusticeAsset Forfeiture, Collateral Sanctions (College Aid, Drug Taxes, Housing, Welfare), Court Rulings, Drug Courts, Due Process, Felony Disenfranchisement, Incarceration, Policing (2011 Drug War Killings, 2012 Drug War Killings, 2013 Drug War Killings, 2014 Drug War Killings, 2015 Drug War Killings, 2016 Drug War Killings, 2017 Drug War Killings, Arrests, Eradication, Informants, Interdiction, Lowest Priority Policies, Police Corruption, Police Raids, Profiling, Search and Seizure, SWAT/Paramilitarization, Task Forces, Undercover Work), Probation or Parole, Prosecution, Reentry/Rehabilitation, Sentencing (Alternatives to Incarceration, Clemency and Pardon, Crack/Powder Cocaine Disparity, Death Penalty, Decriminalization, Defelonization, Drug Free Zones, Mandatory Minimums, Rockefeller Drug Laws, Sentencing Guidelines)CultureArt, Celebrities, Counter-Culture, Music, Poetry/Literature, Television, TheaterDrug UseParaphernalia, Vaping, ViolenceIntersecting IssuesCollateral Sanctions (College Aid, Drug Taxes, Housing, Welfare), Violence, Border, Budgets/Taxes/Economics, Business, Civil Rights, Driving, Economics, Education (College Aid), Employment, Environment, Families, Free Speech, Gun Policy, Human Rights, Immigration, Militarization, Money Laundering, Pregnancy, Privacy (Search and Seizure, Drug Testing), Race, Religion, Science, Sports, Women's IssuesMarijuana PolicyGateway Theory, Hemp, Marijuana -- Personal Use, Marijuana Industry, Medical MarijuanaMedicineMedical Marijuana, Science of Drugs, Under-treatment of PainPublic HealthAddiction, Addiction Treatment (Science of Drugs), Drug Education, Drug Prevention, Drug-Related AIDS/HIV or Hepatitis C, Harm Reduction (Methadone & Other Opiate Maintenance, Needle Exchange, Overdose Prevention, Pill Testing, Safer Injection Sites)Source and Transit CountriesAndean Drug War, Coca, Hashish, Mexican Drug War, Opium ProductionSpecific DrugsAlcohol, Ayahuasca, Cocaine (Crack Cocaine), Ecstasy, Heroin, Ibogaine, ketamine, Khat, Kratom, Marijuana (Gateway Theory, Marijuana -- Personal Use, Medical Marijuana, Hashish), Methamphetamine, New Synthetic Drugs (Synthetic Cannabinoids, Synthetic Stimulants), Nicotine, Prescription Opiates (Fentanyl, Oxycontin), Psilocybin / Magic Mushrooms, Psychedelics (LSD, Mescaline, Peyote, Salvia Divinorum)YouthGrade School, Post-Secondary School, Raves, Secondary School
CorruptionFinancial Corruption, Glamorization of Criminality, Government CorruptionCrime & ViolenceCivil Conflict, Drug Trade Funding Terrorists, Increased Illegal Gun Prevalence, Police/Suspect Altercations, Property Crime, Turf WarsDisorderDrug Trade in Schools, Open Air Markets, Police-Community Tensions, Political InstabilityEnvironmental HarmDeforestation, Meth LabsFutile PursuitsBusts & SeizuresHarm IntensificationDisease, Increased Drug Potency, Overdoses, Poisoned Drug Supply, Popularization of Worse Drugs
AcademicsElectoral PoliticsBallot Measures (2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020), Candidates/RacesFederal GovernmentCongress, Executive Branch (DEA, ONDCP), Federal CourtsLaw EnforcementLegal CommunityOur SideOrganizations (Changing Minds 2009, Changing Minds 2010, Director's Blog), Political LeadersPolitics Outside USCanada, Philippines, United NationsPollingState & Local GovernmentState & Local Executive Branches, State & Local Legislatures, State CourtsThe Drug DebateDecriminalization, Legalization (Legalization Supporters, Marijuana Legalization), Media, Medicalization, Moderates, Prohibition, Public Opinion, Regulation of Legal Drugs, Spending Priorities, Tax and Regulate, Treatment Not JailThe Other SideBarry McCaffrey, Jim Sensenbrenner, John Walters, Mark Souder
Drug courts are a farce!
I have a sister presently enduring "drug court," and I quickly realized that the TRUE mission of "drug court" is to MAKE MONEY FOR THE STATE, not to help "addicts!!!" Charged with possession of marijuana, she quickly plead guilty and signed away her civil liberties in order to avoid a lengthy jail sentence (we live in Georgia, home of the bible and punishment.)
Now, she is wishing she hadn't done so! The travesty of this system became quickly apparent. She has been in the program for four months now, and has spent 70 days in jail. She has never failed a drug test, either. Furthermore, guess who PAYS for her to stay in jail? I do! It costs me $150 a week for her to live in jail (who has to pay to be in jail?), in addition to having to drive her to mandatory christian faith-based "recovery" meeting 6 days a week! She is an atheist, and I am employed!
Guess what though - if I don't pay, she can't move to the next "level of success," as they call it. Every time she has landed a job, they have thrown her in jail for not doing so "quickly" enough. She lost her original job after being arrested for possession of marijuana. That said, it's pretty hard to get a job when she is mandated to inform ANY and EVERY potential employer that she is in "drug court" and must use that potential employer's phone to call the court to inform them of her arrival and departure, every time she fills out an application. Who wants to deal with that as an employer? I wouldn't! That is clearly going to bias any employer against a person!
And what of her daughter? She never sees her mother anymore, I am raising her now. How does this HELP families?
When she asked about getting out of the program, the judge told her that "she would be sorry!" and would face three times the sentence she would have faced if she had skipped this kangaroo court all together. And that same judge is the one who would sentence her. Remember, she's already pled guilty, so she doesn't have a leg to stand on. It is clear to me that these programs set people up for failure in order to make MORE MONEY!!! If they really wanted to help, they would assist people in GETTING JOBS, not make it 10 times more difficult to do so!!! They wouldn't punish entire families, both emotionally and financially for ONE PERSON'S so-called crime of smoking cannabis.
When it became clear that the prisons were overburdened with drug offenders, they decided this strategy would be viewed as "helpful" while allowing the state to maintain it's income of "drug money." Make no mistake, drug court is simply the same old "Drug War" tactics with a new, misleading name. If you or a family member are ever offered a slot in drug court, you should do some hard thinking before accepting it (I HIGHLY recommend you don't, I beg you, GET A LAWYER, not a public pretender!)
The only good to come out of these "drug courts" is that it is opening people's eyes to the injustice and fultility of our "Drug War." Even my elderly parents can't believe how counterproductive and uneccessarily punitive this farcical "drug court" is. Slowly, one by one, the tide is turning against those who have shredded our civil liberties and ruined countless lives in foolish attempts to "save us from ourselves." Guess what, "drug money court..." Leave me and my family alone and we will take care of ourselves!!!
georgia sucks
feds need to look at court system there .most judges and lawers there end up in jail themselves .nothing but bible totin crimnals running a huge money making scam .wtf
For most people,
drug court is just a longer, slower, road to prison.
Tallapoosa circuit is the same........
Our drug court encompassing Haralson County is much the same. The sanctioning is inconsistant depending on whether or not the judge likes you and the counselors are recovering addicts themselves.They provide no positive influence on your life and recovery at all, focusing their energy on negativity and fear of failure.The atmosphere they provide leads only to deception to complete the program and/or relapse. I know attorneys who advise ALL their clients to avoid this drug court.If that is the case there must be some truth to our posts.I am sure that it is about money seeing as drug court costs the state around 1/10th of what imprisonment costs.As tax payers we should have a voice on whether or not we have a drug court.
Post new comment