So I was sitting in court this afternoon. This guy goes before the judge on a breach of probation. He was charged with an impared in 2003. As part of his sentence he was to seek treatment via ADDAC. Failure to comply led the charge of breech.
He's 40 years old and presents to the judge his reasons for not attending treatment. He works from 4AM till 8PM. Has letters from his employers. He has contacted the rehab coucilors several times and has letters from them as well. He has pay statements showing the automatic deductions for child support of two children as well as outstanding tax debts.
So the reason he has breached the attendance of rehab is his desire to maintain his job to pay his debts and support his family, all while remaining sober.
The judge hears all this and then lectures the guy on having priorities! I sat there speechless. Wouldn't be keeping your job at all costs to support your kids and pay off your debts be considered having your priorities in order.
Would this judge rather see this man loose his job to go to rehab and then wind up in civil court for not paying child support and have some other judge tell him it's a matter of prioreties?
What are these people thinking? Am I the only one who thinks this line of reasoning is a bit absurd?
Originally posted by mokkoWorking is unreasonable.
So I was sitting in court this afternoon. This guy goes before the judge on a breach of probation. He was charged with an impared in 2003. As part of his sentence he was to seek treatment via ADDAC. Failure to comply led the charge of breech.
He's 40 years old and presents to the judge his reasons for not attending treatment. He works from 4AM till 8PM. Has ...[text shortened]... e these people thinking? Am I the only one who thinks this line of reasoning is a bit absurd?
It unquestionably destroys creativity for the greater goal of making someone else richer.
Originally posted by zeeblebotThat's actually normal hours up here. It's a boom town and there isn't enough workers for the work to be done. Everyone is here to make money and at $30=/hour for meaninless jobs people work like crazy. Most guys I know work 20+ days straight 12 hour shifts, no time off.
the judge sounds right, the guy's out of whack. 4 am to 8 pm ?!!?!? so when does he see his kids?
Needless to say people here are miserable.
But to tell a man to put his job in jepordy, which financially supports his kids, (even if not emotionally) in order to satisfy the courts need for rehabilitation is insane.
Also the average rent on a 1 bedroom apartment here is over $1000/month plus utilities and then a person has to eat. So work is the only focus a person has in order to survive.
Sad but true.
Originally posted by mokkoEverything in moderation. Life will ebb and flow. I spent 2 1/2 years away from my wife and children working in a diffrent place.At the time I was told that my priorities were Fk-ed. In that time i saved like a miser.now the house is paid off. I dont work, i get go to school for a hobby and take classes based on intrest. By making sacrifices earlier i recive rewards now. I hope the people in boomtown get out before they burnout. Because it is hard to walk away from the money.
That's actually normal hours up here. It's a boom town and there isn't enough workers for the work to be done. Everyone is here to make money and at $30=/hour for meaninless jobs people work like crazy. Most guys I know work 20+ days straight 12 hour shifts, no time off.
Needless to say people here are miserable.
But to tell a man to put his job in jep ...[text shortened]... son has to eat. So work is the only focus a person has in order to survive.
Sad but true.
Originally posted by cheshirecatstevensI hope they would get out too....then I wouldn't have to move away. But they're not going to go away because money is far too attractive.
I hope the people in boomtown get out before they burnout. Because it is hard to walk away from the money.
But should the courts recognise and make ammendments in punishments to make allowances for the circumstances of a particular area?
For example I watched a single mother of 3 young children in court because she couldn't afford child care for her kids in order to do her community hours. So when was all said and done she was handed a $489 fine with suffiecent time to pay (over a year)
There are times in life when a person ability to survive and flourish need to be taken into consideration when subjecting appropriate punishments for a crime.
A guy gets one impared charge, loses his licence is fined and on top of that ordered to take rehab at the cost of his job?
Just not sure what the priorety of the courts truly are anymore.
Originally posted by mokkoI think, for better of worse, judges are very concerned about setting a precedent which can cause problems with other cases. But you make a good point.
I hope they would get out too....then I wouldn't have to move away. But they're not going to go away because money is far too attractive.
But should the courts recognise and make ammendments in punishments to make allowances for the circumstances of a particular area?
For example I watched a single mother of 3 young children in court because she couldn ...[text shortened]... at the cost of his job?
Just not sure what the priorety of the courts truly are anymore.
The issue in this case is really whether one believes that this guy has an alcohol/drug problem and whether one subscribes to the disease concept that it is a progressive disease that only treatment will help.
It is entirely possible that he has managed to stay clean during this time. It is also entirely possible that he will relapse in time and his life will spiral out of control.
