AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums The Cayes Ambergris Caye Six Years for Teen Burglar from San Pedro

Safecracker..........'Rehabilitation is costly and rarely works'. This is completely untrue.
Don't you people understand that this young man's life is basically finished? He will learn nothing in prison, have a criminal record when he is released, and be unable to get a job. He will then turn to crime and may seriously hurt someone, if he doesn't get killed first.
I know rehabilitation works. I was a heroin addict from an upper middle class home. Very expensive doctors couldn't help me. I finally went to the most important and influential drug and alcohol rehabilitation community in the country. I was so moved by the incredible work they did that I chose to stay, which I did for 18 years, and help other people like myself. I became a member of the Board of Directors and was the individual responsible for the rehabilitation and re-education of the 15,000 drug addicts, alcoholics and juvenile delinquents who came to our communities. My colleagues and I consulted with member of US Congress, the Senate, law enforcement professionals, health care professionals, and other executives of rehabilitation organizations throughout the US and abroad. Forty years later I can direct you to thousands of people who were rehabilitated and have led incredibly successful lives. Some are very well known individuals.
It feels like the individuals commenting on this issue, with few exceptions, have no understanding of behavioral modification. Are you taking lessons from that redneck midget Jeff Sessions? Learn to have compassion. That is not to say that criminals should not be prosecuted and put in prison when it is appropriate. They should. But in this instance we have just ended someone's life.

AC Lover congratulations on beating your addiction for today. If someone broke into your house and stole your heritage would you show as much compassion?

Welland...
The last point I made is that we need the criminal justice system, and that when punishment is appropriate it should be used. In this particular instance the punishment did not fit the crime. Also, I said in an earlier post that I had been robbed numerous times in my life and it is a hideous violation. Once I caught the thieves and I made certain they were prosecuted fairly.

["quote=Welland]AC Lover congratulations on beating your addiction for today. "

IMHO - That was a nasty, ignorant remark.

Richard shared something very important - and he deserves sincere respect for overcoming something very destructive.

Diane if you knew anything about addictions you would know that it was not a nasty, ignorant remark. Richard knows what I mean as I was congratulating him. Anyone in addictions only have today.

" But in this instance we have just ended someone's life. "

AC Lover WE have done no such thing, this guy had a choice and is now paying the price. Plenty of his peers in similar circumstance have avoided his fate, by being respectful and hardworking.

Your history with Rehab is conjecture and unproven as I am sure you know. There is enormous research to suggest that a high % of those rehabilitated would have self rehabilitated in any event.

Behavioral modification, positive not negative, that comes from a place of true caring for the person as a living, breathing, human being, is the only rehabilitation that works. What a powerful life's work, Richard. I'm in awe.

"Your history with Rehab is conjecture and unproven as I am sure you know. There is enormous research to suggest that a high % of those rehabilitated would have self rehabilitated in any event". Why is wrong with you Safecracker? Your statements are crazy, unverified, and untrue.
I carefully laid out facts to substantiate the true value of rehabilitation. This is not conjecture. And rehabilitation and help is what is now so desperately needed to deal with the horrific opioid crisis that exists in the US today. Last year 64,000 people died from this addiction. That's more than the number of women who died from breast cancer. Thankfully there is an awareness and willingness to help ameliorate the crisis.

AC Lover you seem to be smart/educated, this subject is and has been a debate since the history of rehabilitation began.
For every example of proof of success there is another of failure, this applies to both the USA and the UK.
Just because I take the view prison works, based on what I know, what I see and what I choose to believe of what I read, does not mean that my statements are crazy, unverified or untrue.
Neither does it mean there is anything wrong with me.
I am surprised you have to have resort to such comments when challenged about your views.


On January 18, 1989, the abandonment of rehabilitation in corrections was confirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court. In Mistretta v. United States, the Court upheld federal "sentencing guidelines" which remove rehabilitation from serious consideration when sentencing offenders. Defendants will henceforth be sentenced strictly for the crime, with no recognition given to such factors as amenability to treatment, personal and family history, previous efforts to rehabilitate oneself, or possible alternatives to prison. The Court outlined the history of the debate: "Rehabilitation as a sound penological theory came to be questioned and, in any event, was regarded by some as an unattainable goal for most cases." The Court cited a Senate Report which "referred to the 'outmoded rehabilitation model' for federal criminal sentencing, and recognized that the efforts of the criminal justice system to achieve rehabilitation of offenders had failed."

So what?? The US system of "justice" is not based on data, but on retribution. It has not proven to be successful in any way, shape, or form. You quoted no data to support your views. When we know better, we're supposed to do better. Again, if the penal system worked, for all the decades it's been used, we'd be at zero. Not only has that not happened, the percentage of criminals has increased. So it's not working! If it's not working, doing more of it is not going to work. It's just insanity. We have proven methods that can, in fact, work. Just because you don't agree doesn't mean anything. Those of us that are actually working to solve the problem, rather than just be lazy and throw people in a broken system and look the other way, we'll actually show there is a much, much, much better way.