Prison or drug treatment

Odysseus

There where reference to this in another thread, so I thought I would start a different thread. I have worked in various drug treatment environments for the past 12 years. Currently and for the past 7 years I work mostly in Methadone Treatment Centres.

As you will be aware we deal we all types of people who for the most part have [or currently are] engaged in varying degrees of criminal activity. I have a few questions about how members of AGS view drug treatment in general. Firstly what are people's opinions on Methadone Treatment in Ireland, as AGS member if you work in Dublin I'd imagine you deal with alot of our clients.

Some come to us to get help and do well, others come to us in order to get some methadone in their system, so they are not sick whilst they are out getting their money to buy more heroin or whatever the drug of choice is.

Part of my work involves writing court reports for patients, generally a good report from myself and the other staff can mean a suspended sentence or a reduced one. As members of AGS how do you view this?

Also it is common enough for people to get suspended sentences if they aggree to enter into treatment. Once again what do people think of this.

I have seen the system help people move on with their lifes and I'm fully aware of how its abused. For example when certain patients make an appointment to see me, I know straight away they have a court case coming up.

So what do you all think?

sdanseo

Can I ask a layperson question for a sec?

You say that a nice report from you can lead to a reduced or suspended sentence. Doesn't this in effect give you as much power as the judge?

Some might ask what the point is in such a system, now I'm not blaming you or attacking you in any way but you see reports of people getting ridiculous sentences for hideous crimes and one can only assume that's at least partially because of such "good reports". Do you think this is fair?

Odysseus

sdonn wrote: »

Can I ask a layperson question for a sec?

You say that a nice report from you can lead to a reduced or suspended sentence. Doesn't this in effect give you as much power as the judge?

Some might ask what the point is in such a system, now I'm not blaming you or attacking you in any way but you see reports of people getting ridiculous sentences for hideous crimes and one can only assume that's at least partially because of such "good reports". Do you think this is fair?

I would said no it doesn't give me the same power as a judge, far from it in fact. I certainly don't want that type of power either. I used the words good report, this means I have stated that the person has attended myself regularly for a set amount of time, during that time the person has also engaged in a therapeutic process with myself. It would be my belife that the person has made changes to their lifestyle that indicates the above. A report is often requested either by the judge or the persons solictor.

Yes your right it gives me a certain amount of power, but its vastly different from the justice system. I will either refuse to give out a report [if I have nothing to report on; the opposite of the above] or state that the person has not engaged with me. Though I reckon these are never handed up if requested by the solictor. I'm very careful about what I write and stick to a report on the person's psychotherapeutic treatment if one is requested.

These are merely something that the judge will take into consideration when the person is sentenced. A person only gets a good report from me if they have made progress and I do believe that this should be taken into consideration. Some people do change their lifestyle, some do not.

I see your point and I don't think your attacking me. Personally I take court reports very seriously as I could be called to court to explain what I have written. Its rare that this happens but I know of a few cases of this happening. I only write about the person from my professional viewpoint and that is all. Of course even with what I wrote in my post, the judge decides what the sentence is, my understanding of that process is that in doing so he will want to take various things into consideration and sometimes that includes a report from myself. Does that answers you question fully?

sdanseo

Odysseus wrote: »

I would said no it doesn't give me the same power as a judge, far from it in fact. I certainly don't want that type of power either. I used the words good report, this means I have stated that the person has attended myself regularly for a set amount of time, during that time the person has also engaged in a therapeutic process with myself. It would be my belife that the person has made changes to their lifestyle that indicates the above. A report is often requested either by the judge or the persons solictor.

Yes your right it gives me a certain amount of power, but its vastly different from the justice system. I will either refuse to give out a report [if I have nothing to report on; the opposite of the above] or state that the person has not engaged with me. Though I reckon these are never handed up if requested by the solictor. I'm very careful about what I write and stick to a report on the person's psychotherapeutic treatment if one is requested.

These are merely something that the judge will take into consideration when the person is sentenced. A person only gets a good report from me if they have made progress and I do believe that this should be taken into consideration. Some people do change their lifestyle, some do not.

I see your point and I don't think your attacking me. Personally I take court reports very seriously as I could be called to court to explain what I have written. Its rare that this happens but I know of a few cases of this happening. I only write about the person from my professional viewpoint and that is all. Of course even with what I wrote in my post, the judge decides what the sentence is, my understanding of that process is that in doing so he will want to take various things into consideration and sometimes that includes a report from myself. Does that answers you question fully?

It does indeed, thanks. I was simply curious to know exactly how much influence you have. It sounds like most or all people in your position take it fairly seriously; that's good to know.

Odysseus

sdonn wrote: »

It does indeed, thanks. I was simply curious to know exactly how much influence you have. It sounds like most or all people in your position take it fairly seriously; that's good to know.

No probs, maybe I wasn't clear enough in my orginal post. I was trying to keep my own opinions out of until people expressed their opinion. It can be diffiucult at times. It often happens that someone will attend just to get a report. Then they magically dissapear staright after their court appearence and you know you have been done; but as they saying goes fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.