Free is an undefinable term for most Americans living in the “Land of the Free.” How’s that for ironic. Whether it be debt, an unhealthy relationship, or a dead-end job, the idea of freedom is only a dream for most. For some it is a little more black and white; Those who are behind bars. Once the doors slam behind you, you are tagged as a criminal. To say our judicial system is flawed would be an understatement, but the biggest flaw of all? The number of drug addicts stuck in a cage instead of getting the substance abuse treatment they need. The fact of the matter is you can’t fix a deteriorating house with copious amounts of spackle. You must repair the foundation and fix the issue in it’s entirety. The stigma attached to an addict is clear. They are less than, scum of the universe, and unfixable. So what’s the solution to the nation’s growing drug addiction issue? Lock them up and throw away the key. The only thing that accomplishes is the government not actually having to see the problem. Out of sight, out of mind, right? Wrong; the overcrowding of jails and number of drug overdose is bringing to light that the current “War on Drugs” is resulting in nothing but a civil war between the judicial system and those affected by drug use. Habilitat nor myself believe that addiction is a disease. It is a choice. A learned behavior to escape the things life throws at us that we don’t want to deal with, but just like drugs is a band-aid for our issues, incarceration is a band-aid for addiction. A drug addict must learn how to face life head on, that is the best way to overcome addiction. Habilitat offered me, and will continue to offer anyone with the willingness to change, the chance to break the cycle. When the same old routine isn’t working, it’s time to try something new. I for one am tired of seeing the rich get richer by damning addicts to a life behind bars, watching as the private prison stock rise every time a new body goes behind bars. Addicts aren’t people to the government, they’re dollar signs. It’s time to wake up and smell the coffee and realize that the drug epidemic requires action. Cracking down on drug laws is negligence at its finest. We can’t sit back and watch our fellow citizens kill themselves anymore. Haven’t we turned a blind eye to addiction long enough. It’s time to do something different.
Rehabilitation Over Incarceration
Habili-blog 11/21/17 Jared Mayes