Inspirations Teen Rehab funding Event to Prevent Teen Drug and Alcohol Abuse

For more information on teen drug abuse, teen addiction treatment, and teen drug rehab programs visit Inspirations for Youth and Families, aka Inspirations Teen Rehab.



Addiction Treatment for Teens: 1-888-757-6237

http://www.inspirationsyouth.com

http://www.inspirationsteenrehab.com

Addiction Treatment for adults and young adults: 1-888-387-6237

http://www.covecenterforrecovery.com

7 Tips on How to Discuss a Child's Drug Addiction with Your Other Children

Confusion, uncertainty and insecurity abounds for children who don’t understand why their brother or sister is sleeping all day, acting crazy, looking funny and no longer participate with the family.



Being honest and open to your child/children about their sibling’s substance abuse issues is respectful and fair. Don’t forget that children are very intuitive and if they see their parents speaking in hushed tones when it comes to their sibling or witness an emotional and/or physical change they will realize something is up.



Here are seven tips for parents on how to begin a conversation about substance abuse in the family:

1.) Pick an easy, comfortable time to chat with your kids. Maybe a picnic in the park or a meal at their favorite

restaurant is a good backdrop.

2.) Though it is a big deal, don’t make it so in the conversation. Parents should be able to tell the truth in a way that children are able to understand and prepare themselves for the changes that will happen in the family. For many kids, routine helps them feel safe. So if life becomes unpredictable, they will need help adjusting to the changes.

3.) Ask the kids if they are worried or concerned about what’s going on within the family. If they don’t come forth, leave it. Simply say that if they are confused, scared or upset about anything that they see or hear you are there for them anytime.

4.) If there have been volatile arguments within the family let the children know that they have nothing to do with the fighting and that you are sorry that they had to witness these outbreaks.



5.) The children should be told that regardless of what’s happening with their sibling that he/she loves them and again, they are not responsible.



6.) If the children are aware that there is something wrong with their brother or sister, it is open, honest and healthy to tell them that he/she is sick at the moment and that Mom and Dad are doing everything they can to help him/her get well.



7.) Please consider Al-Ateen ( http://www.al-anon.alateen.org/for-alateen ) - a group of teens sharing their confusion, anger, etc… with each otherregarding substance abuse issues with other teenagers. Private counseling is always an option as well.

Addiction Treatment for Teens: 1-888-757-6237

http://www.inspirationsyouth.com

http://www.inspirationsteenrehab.com

Addiction Treatment for adults and young adults: 1-888-387-6237

http://www.covecenterforrecovery.com

Southwest Companions Case: All Charges Dropped for David Flory

I last discussed the Southwest Companions case in Southwest Companions: Gutting the Albuquerque PDCase on June 27, 2011. Today an interested party contacted me to ask if I had heard anything about the case being dismissed, so I looked it up and lo and behold: All charges were Nolle Prosequi – this means dropped or dismissed!

So where are the mainstream media and the loudmouths from Albuquerque Police Department now?

Unless former professor F. Chis Garcia was charged elsewhere, as in a different county or area, which I seriously doubt, there is no case showing against him at all. All I could find in search was a couple of parking ticket cases (not even his) even when entering the case number.The link to search for yourself is: 

http://www.metrocourt.state.nm.us/casemanagement/

Congratulations to David Flory! If you have any information concerning Garcia, please contact me. I haven't looked around yet and wanted to post this immediately, but no doubt I will be posting on this case with more info in the near future. Love it!!!!

EDIT to note: This may not exactly be a victory. When charges are nolle prossed they can be refiled or different charges filed. I need to do a bit of digging around and will post more when I have something.

How to test your teen for drugs?

How to test your teen for drugs?

There are several accurate, FDA-cleared testing methods available that use urine, hair, oral fluids, and sweat (patch). These methods vary in cost, drugs detected, and detection period. Parents and schools can determine their needs and choose the method that best suits their requirements, as long as the testing kits are from a reliable source.

Whether you are trying to prevent drug use, discover possible drug use, stop current use, or just be reassured that a teen is on the right road, home testing will help.

Let your teens know that you love them very much to let them be involved with drugs and that you will use any tool available to keep them away from drugs, including using random drug testing in your home.

Many parents with teens attending our drug rehabilitation residential program wish that they had tested their teens earlier when their teens first displayed unusual behaviors.

Are schools doing drug testing?

Currently, random drug testing can only be conducted among students who participate in competitive extracurricular activities. Reasonable suspicion/cause testing involves a school requiring a student to provide a urine specimen when there is sufficient evidence to suggest that the student may have used an illicit substance. Typically, this involves the direct observations made by school officials that a student has used or possesses illicit substances, exhibits physical symptoms of being under the influence, and has patterns of abnormal or erratic behavior.

Which drugs can be tested for?

Various testing methods normally test for a "panel" of drugs. Typically, a drug panel tests for marijuana, cocaine, opioids, amphetamines, and PCP. If a parent or school has a particular problem with other drugs, such as MDMA, GHB, or steroids, they can include testing for these drugs as well.



Inspirations Teen Rehab understands the unfortunate circumstances that arise as a result of a teen's poor choice to act in an irresponsible manner. Not only is a legal consequence the result of a teen's poor choice regarding behavior, it may also be and indication of a greater issue such as substance abuse or addiction, a mental health issue such as depression or other diagnosis. If your family is having a difficult time dealing with this situation, call us at:

Addiction Treatment for Teens: 1-888-757-6237

http://www.inspirationsyouth.com

http://www.inspirationsteenrehab.com

Addiction Treatment for adults and young adults: 1-888-387-6237

http://www.covecenterforrecovery.com

Reflections on the Aftermath of Hurricane Andrew

I read the Wikipedia article relating to Hurricane Andrew facts and it is accurate for the most part, but excludes some important issues. Really sorry I didn't try harder to put that new and complicated model printer with a scanner together so I could post the images here, but it was too much for me and I threw its many parts back in its box and returned it to Walmart. So here we are...

Driving south on the Florida Turnpike hours after it all hit was the easiest drive ever – few vehicles headed south, all tolls were open, and no state troopers or cops anywhere. Yes, I confess to driving 100 mph, but no worry as I know how to drive; I learned in Germany where they have an actual test of skill. At some point right after Bird Road exit (S.W. 40^th Street), all of the signs disappeared. So if one didn't know where they were going they were out of luck. I knew where I was going.

I exited on S.W. 186 Street (Quail Roost Drive). I just knew the exit, though there were no signs. I knew to drive east towards the bay, though there were no street signs or traffic lights anywhere. This area is known as Perrine. There was nothing green. All the trees were stripped bare and looked like sticks and all of the foliage and vegetation was gone... really gone. Shocking mainly because Miami is better known for its greenery, or was.

Driving east towards Cutler Ridge, the bay, it only got worse. There were still no signs, not even stop signs or any means available to identify location, so I just drove east and eventually made it to Old Cutler Road. Most houses were still standing, but windows were now shredded glass and and vehicles littered the streets, twisted beyond recognition. Power poles and lines were all over the place, blocking roadways, on top of houses. Shreds of glass and twisted metal everywhere is the prevailing memory.

Driving through the devastation I finally made it to my friend's home. They had holes in what was left of the roof, no windows, mud all over the floors and walls... We unloaded the car and were soon consuming barbeque and beer – never forget the charcoal; I didn't. Their daughter and her husband arrived in short time – their trailer in Homestead was gone – and we heard the stories of massive devastation in Homestead (South Dade County). They had driven there in a vehicle with shreds of glass all over the place. Of course they cleaned off what they could before embarking on that journey, but shredded glass can almost never be cleared completely, and certainly not in an hour and they had cuts all over.

My friends and the children had spent the worst part of the hurricane in the bathroom and in a bedroom closet. And then all was quiet, too quiet, they knew something was wrong, and the real damage began. Tornadoes took anything standing, with the exception of a coffee table and an eggshell hanging from the embroidered Easter decoration; both were intact in the exact location they were in when it all started. They were working to cover what remained of the roof with plastic sheeting. It started to rain and the sky turned dark, like icing on a devastation cake.

I left before sundown with a list of items to bring back on my next trip, the day after. The area was under martial law and anyone on the streets after dark would be arrested. It was day 3 after Andrew hit when I returned. Odd enough, my friend's Bellsouth landline worked through it all so we were in contact. Back in Orlando the Red Cross was begging for donations for victims: cash and other items. It was day 3 and then day 4 after, but still no one came to help. The Red Cross had a truck sitting on S.W. 40^th Street (Bird Road) and S.W. 87^th Avenue (Galloway), miles before any of the devastation.

The looting had started full force and the Red Cross feared driving into the area, at least that is what they stated to me on the phone when I called the Orlando office demanding answers. They stated that their trucks were being overturned and even hijacked.

On day 6 after I made my third trip down. Still no Red Cross, but Burger King and Arby's were out there in trucks passing out food. I was informed that they arrived on day 5 after and were constantly refilling and returning. Burger King Corporation took the place of Red Cross, the state and federal government, and anyone else that should have been there. Meanwhile the USAF was landing jets with necessities and supplies to pass out in Homestead, but other soldiers (don't know if they were National Guard or Army) were holding off the people with AK-47s. Riots ensued until they finally started passing the stuff out.

Around a hundred monkeys escaped from a laboratory at Monkey Jungle and many escaped from a lab at the University of Miami. Exotic birds and animals escaped from the devastated Metro Zoo. The people were not the only ones to lose their homes.

Everyone was armed, but then it is Miami. I have photos of National Guard handcuffing looters to bars on a convenience store directly behind my friend's house. There was a clear view without the trees and bushes present. The helicopters were out full force and enforcing the sundown curfew. After my third trip I didn't return for a month as my friends had the basics under control. The lasting memory on that last trip was all of the U-Hauls lining the streets. The people were leaving Miami with what they had left. Many moved to Broward County and many to Orlando to start a new life. The Miami that I knew would never be again.

My son's father worked with our friend doing contractor work and eventually AC repair work for the next months. He lived in an RV in their driveway. The main point that I recall him making is that it was hot, seriously hot, and they were taking cold water showers. They did have beer and barbeque on a daily basis though. Eventually my friends were able to buy the house they'd rented for pennies on the $, and of course had to deal with all the repairs.

Don't forget that no one came. I recall President Bush (H.W.) flying over the devastated areas in a helicopter and people were waving from their rooftops. Everyone painted their insurance info (company and policy #) on the roof and/or on the sides of the house so that insurance adjusters could identify policy holders. The areas hit the worst were not warned or ordered to evacuate and no one came until Burger King arrived on day 5 after, but by day 7 after a variety of organizations and people made their way in. It was 25+ heavily populated miles of solid devastation in South Dade. 

Hurricanes and Mandatory Evacuations: The Hype

Someone needs to say it, so I will. I am reading about mandatory evacuations in wait of Hurricane Irene that cover much of the East coast from Virginia to New England, including parts of Manhattan. The subway system in NYC is being shut down for the first time ever!

Here in Cape Canaveral, I barely felt a breeze when I was out earlier. Anyway, I have experienced the heavy hype in past – it was particularly heavy in 2004 and 2005 when a few major hurricanes actually did hit the Cocoa Beach area. I went to my mom's, on a barrier island, in each situation as she wouldn't leave, but I did send my son to Orlando, 45 miles inland.

This area had mandatory evacuations for at least 3 out of 5 hurricanes. In one situation, a friend in Orlando called me concerned for my safety – he said that in Orlando they were showing the particular area of the island as being underwater and he feared I was dead. Hmmm – I was unable to find coffee anywhere and the electricity had gone out in the middle of the hurricane, but that was the worst of it. I believe that power was out for five days during that one and there were large puddles and downed power lines, but mandatory evacuations and 20-30 foot water surges? Nope – it was a trick of the cameras.

The winds were really high in each case and lots of trees blown all over the place, but a state of emergency? This is usually something that is declared for the state to get federal funds. Of course there are exceptions, like Andrew in August of 1992. Andrew was predicted to hit Broward County and North Dade County and the beach areas of both, but instead it really hit south Dade County, from S.W. 160th street all the way to south Homestead. Andrew was the disaster they buried and the areas hit – 25 miles of solid devastation – were not even warned.

I have close friends in Miami, actually in Cutler Ridge where Andrew really hit. I was on my way south to help them by 8am. Andrew hit around 5am. I still have plenty of photos from the many trips down there – if I had a scanner I would add a few here. They declared martial law down there and the National Guard was in control for several months. My son's father went down to work with our friends in Cutler Ridge and they had no electricity for months – I believe it was 4 months to be as precise as possible. It was a true disaster like Katrina was, but both for different reasons and issues.

The problems with Katrina were actually after Katrina when the levees failed. Hurricane Andrew problems were really all about multiple tornadoes. I was told that it wasn't so much the hurricane, but it was the 50+ embedded tornadoes at the center. I know this for fact, no matter how many want to dispute it. My friend's house was a perfect example: The couch in the living room was pulled through the window. An Easter decoration that his daughter made, a wooden circle with embroidered cloth clamped with a painted eggshell hanging from it, revealed the eggshell to be perfectly intact, yet the cloth had a huge hole ripped through the center. Do you know how hard, if not impossible, it is to rip cloth? This is tornado damage. The mud all over the living room walls and floors is hurricane related.

So what happens with mandatory evacuations?

Well, really it is just the emergency services people saying that if there is a problem, there will not be any assistance available. Don't bother to dial 911 if the forecasters are correct and there really are 20 to 30 foot water surges. Thank goodness they are usually incorrect, which could be the main reason they claim a target area that spans 700+ miles, right?

I have plenty of hurricane stories to tell. One that I won't forget from 2004 and 2005 is that they blocked any roads and stopped drivers from entering the barrier islands and Cape Canaveral / Cocoa Beach. My son was unable to drive over here and was told the area was a disaster by cops at roadblocks while I was on the phone with him stating the truth, and he did have an island address on his driver's license. When you leave during a mandatory evacuation they do not let you return until they feel like it, days later in this situation. I had dropped my vehicle off at a safe parking garage so I had no transportation.

Evacuating all of coastal New Jersey and New York is different. In my opinion, you may want to analyze the situation for yourself. Really the major issue with hurricanes are the power outages and trust me, it gets hot. Just make sure that you do not evacuate directly into its path as so many did during Hurricane Charley in August of 2004.

Edit August 27, 2011 @ 830pm to add link to my latest post that is related: Reflections on the Aftermath of Hurricane Andrew

Needless Death - 14 year old teen dies after binge-drinking at slumber party

A 14 year girl lost her life after she and a few friends consumed numerous drinks which contained soda and vodka. Takeimi Rao of Santa Rosa, California was hosting a sleepover where she and her friends mixed vodka with soda and binge drank to the point of vomiting, all while an adult was present in the house.

Lieutenant Dennis O'Leary of Sonoma County believed Rao had taken a bottle of vodka from the kitchen cabinet and likely poured it into an empty plastic water bottle.

The unsuspecting mother of the victim, who was awakened several times during the night due to the sound of vomiting, was told by the girls that their illness was due to food poisoning. She was seemingly unaware of the presence of alcohol until she was unable to wake up her own daughter the next day.

The message is clear: Do not underestimate your children.

Incidents like this can be entirely avoided if parents monitor their teens. Parents should encourage open communication with their children in order to keep track of their child’s friends, habits and predispositions.

Is your teen abusing alcohol?

We at Inspirations Teen Rehab understand the unique challenges of being a parent. If you have any questions, please know that we are here to provide you with support and guidance, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We welcome the opportunity to answer your questions free of charge about teen drug rehab, teen substance abuse, adolescent addiction, teen intervention, teen behavior, teen depression or other related matters.

Reach out to us. Teen Recovery is just a phone call away. If the information you are looking for is not found here and you need immediate attention contact us:

Addiction and Behavior Treatment for Teens: 1-888-757-6237

http://www.inspirationsyouth.com

http://www.inspirationsteenrehab.com

Addiction Treatment for adults and young adults: 1-888-387-6237

http://www.covecenterforrecovery.com

The False Arrest of Strauss-Kahn

New York prosecutors ruined a man's career, reputation, and cost him a small fortune. Lucky for him that he has an understanding, intelligent wife or she would have deserted him too. The high profile arrest of former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn and the perp walk that he was subjected to for US media will not be forgotten by him or most of the rest of the world any time soon. They held Strauss-Kahn without bail in Rikers Island and then the media pursued him relentlessly from the moment he was finally granted bail and released.

I discussed this high profile arrest in Most in the US Convict on Charges Alone. Anyone in their right mind would assume that there was enough evidence to charge this man when prosecutors made the decision to do so, but they are worse than even I believed. This says more about the US criminal justice system than I could ever explain on this blog. It is truly one of the worst in the world and these particular prosecutors should be fired.

Cops and prosecutors are supposed to investigate before they arrest, with emphasis on before. What in the hell happened here? Why were they all so eager to jump the gun and put this man through living hell? In my opinion, Strauss-Kahn's attorneys should consider a 42 U.S.C. 1983 action for false arrest.

In my own 42 U.S.C. 1983 case filed against former sheriff Kevin Beary, former MBI director William Lutz, and former MBI agent Brant Rose, the federal judge ruled that while there was not enough evidence to convict, there was probable cause for arrest and therefore dismissal of my suit was granted. I appealed this decision to the 11^th Circuit Court of Appeals and lost. It is common knowledge (to most attorneys anyway) that the 11^thCircuit is unfriendly to adult business plaintiffs in civil suits.

I have discussed the state's main witness in my case too often on this blog to bother again here, but suffice it to say that she was a real piece of work and not believable to anyone in their right mind. Between her (Theresa Isaacs) and the mere existence of a business account with Bank of America wherein escorts deposited fees, that federal judge (Anne Conway) decided that there was indeed probable cause. I must note that Conway made this decision less than a week after a lunch with former Orange County Sheriff Kevin Beary, top cop in the US at that time. I will also note that Conway was appointed by a Bush – George H.W. Bush in 1991.

At the time of my prosecution by the Office of the Statewide Prosecutor (OSP), Jeb Bush was the Florida governor. Incidentally, the OSP works directly under the Florida Attorney General (AG); Bob Butterworth at the time that I was arrested. Of course the AG works directly with the governor. No one has even cared to investigate the implications involved in this chain of events. I have said it before and I will say it again: I was not arrested because of anything an escort did. I was arrested because of something an escort did not do. Quite frankly, and as I stated to the jury in testimony, I ain't their mommy, I wasn't present at the call, and I do not know or care what they did or didn't do - that would fall in the category of none of my damn business.

My main point here is that if such flimsy nothing evidence was considered “probable cause” in my case, New York prosecutors must have arrested Dominique Strauss-Kahn on nothing whatsoever except the word of one woman that they neglected to investigate. Now tell me what makes such a system “the best in the world” as so many Americans claim repeatedly... Can anyone explain that absurd distortion of reality?

Binge-drinking and underage drinking in America

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, North Dakota was pronounced the state with the highest percentage of binge drinking nationwide.

The study also included that binge drinking or consuming five or more drinks on one occasion, was prevalent amongst 29.8% of North Dakotan residents.

The same study found that amongst all Americans between the ages of 12 to17 nationwide, the binge-drinking rate was about 8.8%.

Furthermore, Vermont seemed to have had the highest reported underage drinking within the past month with about 36.6% of its residents ranging from 12-20 years of age consuming alcohol.

Utah seemed to set an example for the rest of the nation by locking in the lowest rates of binge-drinking and underage drinking, which were 14.1% and 14.2%, respectively.

To find out more on teen alcoholism and treatment programs, visit: http://www.inspirationsyouth.com/TeenAlcoholismTreatment.asp

Addiction Treatment for Teens: 1-888-757-6237

http://www.inspirationsyouth.com

http://www.inspirationsteenrehab.com

Addiction Treatment for adults and young adults: 1-888-387-6237

http://www.covecenterforrecovery.com

The West Memphis 3 and Random Thoughts

I have around eight posts that were only half finished awaiting my attention; however, I haven't been well... flu-like symptoms. No big deal except that it is causing my mind to fog. In the meantime, I will offer some random thoughts on several situations in the news. I also decided that I will change the YouTube in the blog header at least a couple of times a week. Hopefully you will look forward to that as I am selective when it comes to what I watch.

At this moment the YouTube shows a news conference with the West Memphis Three: Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley Jr. They were all teens (two were juveniles) when convicted of murdering three eight year-old boys in West Memphis, Arkansas. Echols was sentenced to death in the case and Baldwin and Misskelley Jr. were both given life sentences. They were arrested, tried, and convicted with no evidence. Investigators, a prosecutor, the judge, and the jury all convicted these teens because they listened to heavy metal music and wore black often. The prosecutor painted a fictional picture of a satanic cult and the jury bought it because they wanted to.

I will summarize my thoughts on this case, which I also stated in comments on an Orlando Sentinel article on the topic:

I am really happy to hear that the West Memphis 3 have finally been released. I am really unhappy to hear that the state closed the case and the real killer(s) will never be prosecuted.

This case represents all that is wrong with the US criminal justice system, from the interrogations and coerced confession to the Alford pleas that releases the state from criminal misconduct and financial liability. And then, of course, is the fact that there is a brutal child killer (or 2) running loose. How many more have died because of bad cops and a bad prosecutor? We have no clue how many - what about other missing children cases? The sadistic murders of the three young boys didn't take place in a vacuum - not much doubt that the killer(s) went on in life to kill again.

Damien Echols wrote a book while in prison, though it is about his life before the case and not the case itself: Almost Home: My Life Story Vol 1. I admit that I am holding out for the Kindle edition to be released, and no, it isn't an elitist thing; it is an eyesight issue (with reading). So Damien, Jason, and Jessie – please do get a deal going for a ghost writer to write each book, or write it yourself, but make sure it is released for Kindle and Nook readers at the same time the hardcover is released. Thank you.

In other less important news...

Clearly Michele Bachmann is another Palin. Sure, they're both cute in a dress, but what the hell else are they good for in politics? Bachmann actually stated that, “Americans are nervous about the rise of the Soviet Union”. First we must wonder what Americans she is referring to. Newsflash baby: It has long been the former Soviet Union, with emphasis on former. Really – since dissolution in 1991. I think Bachmann would benefit from a return to college, but we sure as hell do not need her representing the country anymore than we need Palin, who eyes Russia from her porch. Good grief!

I am torn as to whether I will vote in the 2012 presidential election or not. I admit that I like Ron Paul and anyone else is out, so if I do decide to vote... I really do like Ron Paul, but the rest of them are all like talking heads and cutie pies. What in the hell is up with politics in this country? Our politicians are supposed to be some of the best in our society, but instead they're often some of the worst.

Okay, back to sleep for me. I'll tackle those half-finished posts in the coming week.

Protecting our Teens from Drug Abuse

At first glance, the question may be fairly easy to answer, especially if you have children, but the underlying truth of the matter is that in this day and age, more and more kids are becoming victims of drug abuse and they are not receiving the help they should be receiving.

In a study aimed at high school students, 60% were reportedly aware of drug use at their schools and 10% of children between 12 and 17 years of age are current substance abusers.

Parents can be the number one help in their children's lives when it comes to drug abuse, simply because they have the means to prevent it. Prevention is believed by experts to be far more effective than any other way to protect kids from drug abuse.

Some parents make numerous mistakes that allow their children to get caught in the web of drugs. Mistakes such as believing that experimenting with drugs is a normal rite of passage, allowing easy access to medication in households and simply not spending enough time with their children are all factors that children may take advantage of in order to pursue drugs and other illegal substances.

The message here is that most children when they are busy with events such as positive after school programs, church events, hobbies, sports, etc., they are less likely to turn to drugs and alcohol for recreation, and parents play a huge part in this process that could save lives.

For information on teen substance abuse, recent trends on teen drug abuse, teen drug and alcohol addiction problems and teen addiction treatment programs please visit Inspirations for Youth and Families websites:

Addiction Treatment for Teens: 1-888-757-6237

http://www.inspirationsyouth.com

http://www.inspirationsteenrehab.com

Addiction Treatment for adults and young adults: 1-888-387-6237

http://www.covecenterforrecovery.com

Juvenile Court Judge Demchick-Alloy stresses accountability

It's every parent's nightmare to see their child standing before a judge, but when the judge is juvenile court judge Wendy Demchick-Alloy, tough love may be what is needed.



Judge Demchick-Alloy's attention to police and psychologists’ reports helps her to pass justice for the many young boys and girls that engage in unlawful acts. With tough but fair reactions, the juvenile detainees both respect the judge and fear her. Recently, a 17 year old girl was brought back into court after being caught with marijuana while she was awaiting trial for another drug related charge. Judge Demchick-Alloy felt responsible to not only make sure the young girl understood her mistakes but also was given enough incentive to make her want to change her course of life.

Counts like these seem overwhelming, but for the judge who also spends a lot of time visiting various youth detention centers and programs across the state. Young offenders line up to discuss problems with her, many suffering from various problems such as psychological, substance, alcohol or physical abuse.

Those who have succeeded in straightening out their mistakes stop by to thank her.

"Each kid is an individual,” she says. “It could be any of our kids, How would I want my kids to be treated if they were in here? How would I want the judge to behave? That’s how I do my job. This is someone’s child." Outstanding judge or not, one can only hope that young individuals stay out of trouble and out of juvenile detention halls.

Are you a parent looking for solutions for your troubled teen?

We at Inspirations Teen Rehab understand that occasionally, teens who are struggling with behavior issues, oppositional defiance, or substance use or abuse issues, act out in ways that cause them to encounter problems with the legal system.

Inspirations provides a teen addiction treatment program and services in response to a teens and families needs to adhere to specific court orders, juvenile probation, or a juvenile diversion program. Court orders must not involve circumstances or charges, in which a teen was violent or a threat to others.

The mission of Inspirations Teen Rehab Juvenile Services Program, is to assist in the prevention of juvenile delinquent conduct, prevention of continued disruptive behavior, and the prevention of adolescent drug abuse, and to provide for the care and rehabilitation of teens.

Addiction Treatment for Teens: 1-888-757-6237

http://www.inspirationsyouth.com

http://www.inspirationsteenrehab.com

Addiction Treatment for adults and young adults: 1-888-387-6237

http://www.covecenterforrecovery.com

Changing the Dangerous Binge-drinking Patterns in Iowa

Binge drinking, or the excessive use of alcohol, has been linked to many deaths, accidents and severe health problems such as alcohol poisoning and liver disease. Furthermore, within the past decade it has become the main focus of Drug and Alcohol Dependency Services, which is funded by state grants in order to hire trained individuals to monitor alcohol abuse patterns within troubled counties across the nation.

According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 75 % of the alcohol consumed by adults in the United States is in the form of binge drinks.



Scott Gooding was hired in Lee County, Iowa to help reduce adult and teen binge drinking. His three year position at Alcohol and Drug Dependency Services is funded by a State Prevention Enhancement Grant from Iowa’s Department of Public Health.

Gooding says he’ll be looking at” local ordinances, advertising and social availability of alcohol in the area” in order to change the dangerous binge-drinking patterns amongst the residents of Lee County, which rank 10^th place on the list of Iowa’s top 23 counties with alcohol-related issues.

For more information on teen binge drinking, alcoholism problems and treatment visit Inspirations Teen Rehab.

Addiction and Behavior Treatment for Teens: 1-888-757-6237

http://www.inspirationsyouth.com

http://www.inspirationsteenrehab.com

Addiction Treatment for adults and young adults: 1-888-387-6237

http://www.covecenterforrecovery.com

Parents who Experienced the Destruction of K2 Warning Families of its Dangers

While a statewide ban in on a potentially fatal drug commonly known as “K2” or “fake weed” has been put into place in Georgia to protect vulnerable teens, parents of former K2 users warn other parents about the dangerous side effects of this drug.

Due to its inability to be detected by drug tests, K2 or “fake weed” which consists of an herbal mixture and spice plant products, had long been considered a safe alternative to common weed. Many families were not aware that their teens were using this drug until its dangerous side effects began to surface.



The Rice family of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania took their 13 year old son Ray to the hospital after having shown heart attack symptoms. He was rushed to the emergency room and was later diagnosed with burns on his two collapsed lungs. The cause of his sudden illness was mysterious until his father found K2 in his room.

Ray remains sedated in the ICU where his family can only hope he recovers from the effects of the drug that has put him and his family through such distress.

Parents all over the nation warn other parents to watch out for any herbal or plant products found in their teens bedrooms. They also warn parents to look for various side effects of using K2 which consist of paranoia, soaring heart rates and vomiting.

Is your loved one abusing K-2 or any other substance? For more information on new emerging and addiction treatment, please visit:

Addiction Treatment for Teens: 1-888-757-6237

http://www.inspirationsyouth.com

http://www.inspirationsteenrehab.com

Addiction Treatment for adults and young adults: 1-888-387-6237

http://www.covecenterforrecovery.com

Justice American Style: The Release of Charles Graner

Though Charles Graner's release from the US military prison in Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas made the news, the event passed without much fanfare in the US. It was big news in Iraq, understandably. Iraqi citizens are quoted in various news sources and the general consensus is disgust with a system that releases this torturer and abuser after just over 6 years in prison. Graner was sentenced to 10 years, but received time off for his good behavior in prison.

What could we expect? Ft. Leavenworth is a military prison and it is likely that Graner was a privileged and loved inmate there. Many are unaware that Charles Graner worked in corrections as a guard in Pennsylvania prior to heading to Iraq as an Army reservist. According to Mumia Abu Jamal, Graner was an abusive prison guard and he would know as Graner was a corrections officer in the maximum security prison that Jamal is incarcerated at.

If you read the Wikipedia bio of Charles Graner Jr. you will see the entry regarding his conduct as a prison guard. A couple of quotes from that bio:

“In 1998, a prisoner accused Graner and three other guards of planting a razor blade in his food, causing his mouth to bleed when he ate it.”

“Graner and four other guards were also accused of beating another prisoner who had deliberately flooded his cell, taunting anti-capital punishment protesters, using racial epithets and telling a Muslim inmate he had rubbed pork all over his tray of food."

And there is much more – those two incidents were far from the only ones. He also served in the USMC during Desert Storm. No telling what this sadist did to his victims back then as there's probably no one left to discuss it. Oh, and he also physically abused his now ex wife and threatened to kill her, later admitting to it all.

Can you see how this abusive piece of trash would be respected and loved by military personnel at Ft. Leavenworth? I'd bet he received special treatment, extra privileges, and was almost idolized by guards and prisoners alike. I would be willing to bet that he was allowed conjugal visits, off the record of course. So it should be easy to understand how he received almost 4 years off of his sentence for “good behavior”.

Next thing we know someone will be offering him a corrections position in a prison somewhere in this country or he may be allowed to re-enter the military – yes, this happens and I know that for fact. He could actually end-up back in the Middle East somewhere as a soldier.

We live in a sick place and we have one of the worst criminal justice systems in the world.

Prescription Drug Addiction Problem in Portsmouth, OH

Teen drug abuse is rampant say cops and counselors in Pleasanton, CA

With half of its student body confessing to smoking marijuana, the school administrators and parents of Hart Middle School, located in Pleasanton, California were shocked after a recent PTA meeting which discussed the dangerous trends amongst the schools’ students.



After interviewing the students of Hart middle school, counselor Tammy Schoonover estimated that 25% of the students drank alcohol and 50% smoked marijuana.



Officer Ryan Tujague, a member of the police department's special enforcement unit warned parents that even the brightest of students were succumbing to marijuana, OxyContin, heroin and other substances, often fooling their unsuspecting parents who could never imagine their daughter/son was purchasing and using illegal drugs to achieve dangerous highs.



Tujague also pointed out the growing crime rate correlated with the growing number of addicts, so often young teens, who are committing the pettiest of crimes in order to be able to purchase drugs and feed their addiction.



For information on teen drug abuse, recent trends on teen drug abuse, teen drug addiction problems, teen drug addiction treatment and teen rehabs with educational programs visit:



Teen Substance Abuse Help: 1-888-757-6237

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http://www.inspirationsteenrehab.com/



Young Adult and Adult Substance Abuse Help: 1-888-387-6237

http://www.covecenterforrecovery.com/

Teens using ‘Party drugs’ feed addiction denial

An increase in the use of party drugs is beginning to worry authorities.



The majority of individuals who use party drugs regularly, notably adolescents under the age of 21, don’t believe they have an addiction.



“The majority of teens who use party drugs do not believe they have a problem and normally they are younger than the heroin addicts,” said the president of the Association for the Rehabilitation of Drug Abusers.



The abuse of ketamine and other party drugs has been linked to an array of cognitive difficulties, brain damage, heart failure, delirium and in some cases, death.



Many believe that the underlying problem is the large scale of unawareness amongst the nation's youth, who fail to see the detrimental effects of their drug abuse.



For more information on teen drug abuse, teen addiction treatment, and teen drug rehab programs visit Inspirations Youth and Families, aka Inspirations Teen Rehab.



Addiction Treatment for Teens: 1-888-757-6237

http://www.inspirationsyouth.com

http://www.inspirationsteenrehab.com/



Addiction Treatment for adults and young adults: 1-888-387-6237

http://www.covecenterforrecovery.com

Police Shootings and Life without Cops

I am sorry to read that the riots in Tottenham escalated and have spread to other areas of London. What began as a protest and a demand for correct information has now evolved into a free-for-all for thieves and anarchists bent on destroying the property of others and violently objecting to the social status they've been assigned in life. It is an inner anger with the system for many and just open season for others.

I have that anger with the system because of all that was done to me between 1994 and 2008. That is a long spread of time and the fact that few acknowledge what was done over such a length of time doesn't make it any better.

When arrested I was financially set for life. Today I live in poverty compared to most in this country and I am forever watched and unable to step beyond that condition. This really angers me for a few reasons, the main one being that I should be able to give my adult child a decent financial start in life, buy him a car etc... but thanks to a bunch of bad cops, a bad police agency, and a bad prosecutor, I cannot.

Beyond helping my son, I do not give a rat's ass about money and I will never buy a house in this country again, even if I one day manage to pull myself out of the hole they put me in. You see, they taught me that one never actually owns anything and it can all easily vanish overnight. A hard lesson, but one I will carry to the grave. My trust in the system is long gone.

Cops are another story entirely. My perspective on cops did not begin with the MBI. This should be obvious to anyone as if the bad experience started with the MBI, I may have trusted them, or at least one of them, and may have made a plea deal instead of going to trial. In fact I never trusted any of them, the liar prosecutor, or any of the escorts for that matter. I have always been guarded in who I trust, and for good reason.

I commented on a post on the Duchess of Hackney's blog. She's a nice lady and I like her, but I don't think she understands how serious I am when I state that I'd never trust a cop or call one for help. I have called cops a few times over the years, but only to document a situation and get a case number; not for help. I stated in the comment that I wouldn't call the police if my next door neighbor was a serial killer and I meant exactly that. She responded:

“...There is a reason we have a police force and I’m glad we do. You can’t tell me the cops in Florida don’t help people. If someone was breaking into your home while you were in there, who would you call?”

No Duchess, I cannot tell you that cops in Florida do not help people. I can tell you that the idea of helping people is a minimal part of the job description, say 1% at most. Some cops never help anyone and other cops help people often and make-up for some of the unhelpful cops. I can also tell you that if someone were breaking into my apartment, I wouldn't call the police. What would I do? Well, I am not a convicted felon and I can own a gun, but beyond that I will not state what I would do on this blog.

I wrote about a good cop, sort of, in The Good Cop. I don't hate or despise all cops and in past, a few of my best friends were cops. I had a long relationship with a cop. But I do not trust cops and I never will. I didn't trust cops long before my arrest on November 20, 2001. Now I will tell you why...

The only time I ever called the police for help was in Jackson County, Oklahoma. You might be curious what ever brought me to Oklahoma to begin with so I will give you the short version: My son's father had (he is now deceased) family in that area and within a few months of giving birth to my son we chose to move there and buy a house. Houses are cheap out there – they were back then and they still are now, but for good reasons.

I didn't want to raise my child in crime-ridden Miami – this was back in the mid to late 1980s and Miami was the land of cocaine cowboys. I told my son's father that we could stay in Miami, but neither of us had family there and I would never be leaving my child with anyone, therefore we could never go out together again, at least not to the clubs. Probably the main reason for this was the Country Walk case – we lived close to Country Walk subdivision. For those of you that are unaware it was a ritual abuse case involving the Fusters, a couple that watched children for many residents in the subdivision. Read about it on PBS Frontline.

So back to the only time I ever called police for help...

Having never been to Oklahoma, I was clueless how anything worked there. Going from Miami to Jackson County, OK was a culture shock for sure. My first surprise came when my son's father asked me to go pick-up some beer at a store down the road. I was in the middle of something (like unpacking) and asked him why didn't he go. He explained that he'd have to change clothes and didn't know where they were at the moment, but couldn't go in his OP shorts. I asked why not and he asked me if I had seen any male wearing shorts anywhere in the two weeks that we had been in the area. We had found a bargain house (or so we thought) in a small town (less than 400 people) called Duke and our new house was actually a mile outside of Duke. Anyway, it suddenly occurred to me that he was right – men didn't wear shorts in Jackson County. Hopefully the area has since changed.

What a weird fucking place this was, but I was still clueless as to how weird or the level or weirdness. (smile – yeh, I can smile now that I'm long out of there). We had been there for well over a year when the fights really started. It was everything, but mainly money. He was stuck working for the mayor of little Duke for really low wages and no health insurance or anything else. The guy was a rancher and my son's father had to do things like put up fencing, plow wheat and cotton, cut off bulls' nuts (yes, really), shoot bulls with steroids, and anything else done on a working ranch for that super low (under minimum) wage. There really was no other work around, and that rancher made sure of that.

After we had been in Duke for a year and a half it wore us down and we fought each other. The place just sucked. Nice house though – it had a large (2 to 3 car) garage, a huge party room above the garage where we placed a pool table, 3 bedrooms, a couple of bathrooms, a chicken coop, and it was on 5 acres. During our last major argument there, I stated that I wanted to go to my dad's in Florida. He stated that I wouldn't be bringing my son and if I tried, he would take him to Mexico and I'd never see him again. One day while he was at work I packed a few suitcases and moved to a dumpy little house in the nearby city of Altus, about 7 miles away.

At the time I was working on the AF base in Altus in the youth center, so I figured that I could survive without moving to my dad's in Florida and no major custody battle would ensue. I would just live with it until my son was older. In case any readers are wondering why I never returned to Europe, now you know – from the moment my son was born I was stuck in this country. My son didn't turn 18 until several years after my arrest.

So one day I went to drop my son off with his regular babysitter, an AF colonel's wife, (she was Russian) and she said that she could not watch him anymore because he didn't listen to her and would just go in the refrigerator and get a drink when he wanted. What? I recall calling her a stupid bitch and exiting. Now I had no babysitter. As timing would have it, my son's father called to say hello and was actually being normal, or at least sounded that way at the moment. He stated that his mother would love to watch our son until I found a more permanent arrangement.

Naïve as I was at the time, I dropped my son off at his grandmother's house. We had a skate night at the youth center that night and it was around 11pm when I arrived to pick my son up. I was greeted by his seriously intoxicated father – he had been drinking tequila all night. I was attempting to place my son in his car seat when his father grabbed him. It isn't as if I could have hung onto him. He struggled to get my son in the car seat in his truck while I ripped at his back – a physical fight ensued and ended with him throwing me to the ground, jumping in the truck, and driving off. I jumped in my car and chased him briefly, but his driving was erratic and he was actually driving into ditches.

Realizing that chasing a drunk driver intent on getting away with my child in the truck was not intelligent, I went home and dialed the Jackson County Sheriff's Office. About 20 minutes later, they called me back and stated that they found my son's father walking down the road carrying my son and the truck had run out of gas on the road to Duke. The cop told me that other cops were bringing them to the station and that I could come and pick-up my son. Relieved, I jumped in the car and arrived there in about 3 minutes.

On arrival, I was instructed to sit in a chair and told that they were on the way with my son. Well, about 20 minutes went by... this made no sense to me. I asked where my son was and a cop asked me, “Is that there his father?” I responded that yes, he was his father. The cop stated: “This here is a civil matter. We can't help you and you need to go to court.” I asked what about the fact that his father was driving drunk as a skunk, but that was immaterial. I got up and stated, “Thanks for wasting my time. I'll take care of it by myself.”

The next thing I knew I was being thrown to the floor by this cop and they were removing my shoelaces and telling me I was under arrest. “For what?” I asked. “Obstruction of justice” was the answer. I asked to make my telephone call and dialed my father. Dad asked me what the bond was and I turned and asked the deputy. He started laughing and stated, “That's a non-bondable offense. There is no bond.”

When I repeated the no bond statement to my dad, I admit to saying, “this hick cop says...”. The stupid cop ripped the phone-line from the wall. That was the last outside communication that I would have for several days. They snapped a Polaroid picture of me (that's how backwoods this place was) and took me to a cell, telling me I'd be going to prison and wouldn't see my son for a long time. I paced for two nights and three days with no sleep as I considered it possible that my son's father was already in Mexico with him. A nice woman gave me a pack of cigarettes, and I later repaid her a carton.

On day three a nice guard came and opened my cell door, telling me, “I don't know what is going on, but they are releasing you and you have to call your father right away.” I would later find out that a variety of people from the AF base, including the commander, attempted to rescue me. My boss and a couple of co-workers demanded they give me a bond, but were literally thrown out of the sheriff's office and told they'd be arrested if they returned.

The one that got through to these corrupt scumbag cops was my father. He finally got ahold of the Sheriff of Jackson County at home and informed him that he had exactly one hour to either release me on my own recognizance or on bond and if he did not hear from me within one hour, outside of that jail, that he would be on the next flight out of Orlando to Oklahoma City and taking it directly to the US Attorney.

So they released me and instructed me to dial my father immediately from the payphone across the street. I still had a problem though, so I wasn't exactly running out the door. I asked the deputy releasing me if they intended to lock-up my son's father when I went and took my son back from him as they did to me. The nice guard kept trying to shush me, whispering that something was weird and I just needed to get out of there for the moment.

What was weird? Well, recall that I stated my son's father worked for the mayor of Duke. When deputies found him walking down the road carrying my son he informed them he worked for R. B. Masters and they made a call to ole R.B. who needed his underpaid worker more than we knew.

That part of the story ended with an appalled judge – he just shook his head in disbelief at what these bad cops did to me and dismissed the case. His exact words were, “I do not even believe this!” The judges last name was Darby – bless his heart.

To give you an idea of what R.B. Masters was like, I will tell you that he owned the house we were buying and we did what they call a "contract for deed". Part of that contract was that he had to approve any transfer of the property. We had it half (over 50%) paid for and attempted to sell it and retrieve our money, but when a black couple came to look at the house and R.B. met us there, he pulled me aside and said, “It will be a cold day in hell before we have any watermelon pickers living in Duke.”

And yes, I did get my son back several days later, all by myself. (smile)

I think that about summarizes my thoughts on cops and my viewpoint of rural Oklahoma. So no Duchess, I would not call cops if someone was breaking-in – I would rather take my chances with the intruder.

Executions in Orlando and Riots in London

In January 2010, nine Orange County, Florida sheriff's deputies executed 27 year-old Torey Breedlove in a hail of bullets. Over 130 rounds were fired at the unarmed man because he attempted to drive away and didn't stop and exit his vehicle when ordered. Breedlove was allegedly a car thief. Within a year all deputies were cleared by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and the shooting determined to be justified by the agency and a grand jury.

How in the hell can they justify executing an alleged car thief that was unarmed? The way it works here, the deputies probably received commendations. Read more about the execution of Torey Breedlove HERE.

Back in January of 2004, Orange County Deputy Richard Mankewich shot and murdered 26 year-old Marvin Williams when Williams took off running during a traffic stop. Mankewich chased the unarmed Williams through a populated neighborhood near downtown Orlando, firing repeatedly, and all because he fled during a traffic stop. Sure Marvin Williams had a record and his driver's license wasn't exactly in order, but is that a valid reason to execute the man? Read more about the murder of Marvin Williams HERE.

Mankewich is better known for his 1997 traffic stop of a Miami police major traveling on the turnpike through Central Florida. Campbell is black and the case had major racial overtones since there was no valid reason for the traffic stop to begin with. Before the stop was over, and Campbell was arrested on a list of false charges, I am sure that he considered it more than possible that the good old boy cops intended to kill him.

Deputy Mankewich was promoted not long after he shot and murdered Marvin Williams. He also has an extensive record of complaints and at the time he killed Williams, there were 27 complaints of excessive use of force. Our lousy former sheriff, Kevin Beary, never bothered to investigate any of the complaints against his prize deputy. My main questions would be were all of Mankewich's victims black? If not, then what percentage were? Mankewich is more recently known for his odd and false arrest of a black juvenile that was later tossed out by the state attorney's office – read about that in Government Accountability.

There have been many more murders committed by Florida deputies during traffic stops in the last decade than anyone would care to admit and far too many in Orange County. When I was researching for a civil suit against Sheriff Beary et al. back in 2003, I found a lengthy list of cases in federal court files. In one particular case, a 16 year-old was electrocuted with 19 jolts from taser guns by 7 “John Doe” deputies. The deputies were referred to as John Does in the suit because Sheriff Beary ditched the police reports and all paperwork and the mother and her attorney could not even get the names of the deputies that murdered this unarmed teen. A lousy federal judge dismissed the suit; the same lousy judge that dismissed my own, if I recall correctly.

State and federal files here are full of dismissed cases against former Sheriff Beary for abuse, excessive force, and murder committed by his unruly deputies, though the Torey Breedlove case occurred on current Sheriff Demings watch as many more have also. These people do whatever the hell they want to do to the citizens, and they get away with it. They literally get away with murder.

In other news, rioters burned stores and attacked police over the shooting death of a motorist in Tottenham, a socially disadvantaged area in north London. Hey – at least the people in this area react to bad cops and police abuse, as they should. The police are supposed to be working for the citizens, not killing them. I haven't seen any normal reactions here since the riots after the cops that beat Rodney King were acquitted in trial back in 1992. What happened here? Perhaps it is exactly what I have been saying: Somewhere between 65% and 75% of the population is drugged and with these mind-numbing psychotropic drugs, fighting back is not an option; they'd rather watch trash on television.

Am I condoning rioting and looting? I don't know and if there is a better solution, please do inform me on the specifics. Filing complaints results in nothing whatsoever here and the complaints are ignored and tossed in the garbage. Filing lawsuits does absolutely nothing either – bad judges that work in a corrupt system simply dismiss the lawsuits for the bad cops. Grand juries manage to find justification for cops executing unarmed motorists. Been there and done that. You see, that is why I wrote Memoirs – to keep the information out there. Serious police misconduct and abuse involved in my case, but few even care to read about it and many more buy my Blueprint books – thanks, but totally beside the point.

In the US, police are rarely held accountable for their actions so they abuse the general population at will. Why not, right? Cops decide that actions by other cops are justified, even when it amounts to murder. Judges and courts give cops and the state a pass regularly in Florida. The FL Department of Corrections regularly sanctions any abusive actions by its own guards. We have the fox guarding the henhouse here - it is totally absurd!

Federal prosecutors in New Orleans are different today. They went after bad cops that murdered and covered-up murder and the people answered: Five cops all found guilty and facing decades in prison where they belong. Kudos to federal prosecutors in New Orleans for pursuing these bad cops that execute citizens! Read more about the New Orleans case in Danziger Bridge guilty verdicts are another strike against New Orleans police.

So, any thoughts on how we can hold them accountable for police misconduct, abuse, and murder of citizens?

I was arguing on a message board yesterday – something I do often these days – and the topic was a 17 year-old that supposedly committed suicide in a Florida Department of Corrections (DOC) hospital facility. Demetrius Jordan was found hanging in a cell. His family believes that it was not suicide and that he was beaten to death and the hanging a part of the cover-up. This may indeed be the case, but this was his 4^thtrip to the hospital facility, they were about to send him back to the DOC facility, and maybe he saw no hope and couldn't fathom a return to a facility wherein he has been beaten and abused so frequently.

Was Jordan's abuse at the hands of corrections staff or just on their watch? Either way it reveals negligence on the part of the staff and only to different degrees. He was a 17 year-old, a child, that these state minions claim to be protecting in so many other ways. How in the hell can a healthy teen require hospitalization on four separate occasions in the course of just over a year and someone in authority does not question and investigate it? Tell me how, please, because I will never get it. No one else posting in this discussion even cared and several thought that it was good that Jordan was dead. The article is HERE. My discussion is under the Orlando Sentinel article HERE.

Florida's juvenile facilities are some of the worst in the country and now many are run by G4S, formerly known as Wackenhut. Allow your child to end-up in a Florida juvenile facility and that child may never make it out of there. If by chance your child makes it out alive, the damage sustained will last a lifetime. Doubt what I'm saying? Read about The White House Boys Survivor's Organization. And yes, I know several people that were sent there too many years ago.

Get off the flippin' drugs people or get your heads out of the state's ass and start holding them accountable for their actions.