Who Can Admit Complete Defeat?

Thousands of men and women return to Massachusetts communities annually after being imprisoned, sometimes for many years. Within 12 months, over 50% will be in custody again for violating criminal laws or policy regulations governing parole/probation supervision. National surveys reveal that approximately 85% of prisoners have problems with drugs and alcohol, which attributes to early incarceration and escalating degrees of violent offenses in the following years. A life can easily unravel, fueled by risky behaviors and substances.

A 17-year-old male attended a workshop at this prison in 1992. He was a resident of a local treatment center for substance abuse issues and was referred to the youth program Prison Voices for a two-hour workshop. Within several years, he became a member of the program after having been sentenced for drug-related crimes. He was released after three years to a halfway house, where he resided until a dirty-urine test caused him to be remanded to prison to finish his sentence. Upon completion, he walked through the gates with no supervision — or hope — to be successful during his transition back to society. Within eight months, he was using heroin daily and eventually was rearrested for robberies in several counties. The prosecutor intends to invoke the career-criminal statute and this young addict may receive a lengthy sentence.

Every living soul passing through the prison gates has no intention of returning for another stint. Langston Hughes of the Harlem Renaissance era asked "What happens to a dream deferred?" Jails, mental institutions, and death is the common retort. Pride overshadows wisdom and prevents acknowledgement of the devastation caused by addiction/alcoholism to the individual, the family, and the community. But admitting complete defeat is necessary. That recognition honors the potency of the disease-laden opponent and allows the individual to then move forward. It is not meant to surrender or give up on life, but to change a lifestyle, which may be difficult. Masculinity may be an obstacle in this pathway of being honest with oneself. Men are often stubborn and generally refuse to accept the reality that crushed grapes can be so powerful.

Upon entering the penal institution, thousands of prisoners make a conscious decision to refrain from using drugs and alcohol. They may attend recovery meetings, counseling sessions, or simply disassociate from the negative activity of the general prison population. It is assumed that it may be more difficult to abstain from using substances in prison than in society. But the battle against addiction is formidable on any field, whether turf, grass, or clay, whether on the outside or on the inside. Many addicts and alcoholics lack adequate coping skills, especially while sober, to function at a moderate level of social interaction. Successful reentry requires a willingness to make adjustments and not continue prior bad acts. Every day becomes another opportunity to rid the demons and challenge a crisis with a winning attitude.

It takes inner strength and a sense of fortitude to admit complete defeat. Such admission is not the act of a loser. Rather, it is a plea for help and a willingness to manage life in a more productive manner. One day at a time, with each moment even more significant than the last!

Published on www.edgeboston.com on 08-29-05