On the Road
to Recovery
by Captain James Baldwin
Drugs and alcohol have long been associated with crime.
In recent years, authorities have attempted to quantify the
extent to which substances have contributed to incidence.
Studies conducted by the Federal Bureau of Justice show
29% of convicted inmates reported using illegal drugs at
the time of their offense. This statistic does not, however,
take into consideration the abuse of legal drugs, which has
become a common problem in recent years. Lastly, alcohol
serves as a major catalyst to crime and is a factor in 40%
of violent crimes. Therefore, legal drugs, illegal drugs,
and alcohol greatly impact crime across the United States.
Nowhere is this more apparent than at an inmate’s first stop
after being arrested—the local jail.
Inmates brought to the Towns County Detention
Center are often under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
In this state, many of the inmates are physically and
verbally aggressive. Most inmates, regardless of their
alleged crime, experience a wide range of emotions upon
being arrested; some are angry, many are embarrassed, a
few are confused, and almost all are depressed, anxious,
and worried. Being under the influence of drugs and
alcohol elevates these emotions exponentially. Inmates are
medically screened almost immediately upon admission
to the facility because medical history is crucial should an
inmate lose consciousness or experience a medical
emergency that prevents communication. Unfortunately,
some inmates are not able to answer these questions as
completely as they could if they were not under the
influence. Others might refuse to answer questions in an
attempt to sabotage the process and retain some level of
control over their situation while they try to sort everything out. The lack of detailed, accurate medical
information is often an obstacle to an inmate’s safety.
There is no doubt that drugs change an individual’s
personality. An intoxicated inmate’s behavior is often far
removed from his normal day-to-day behavior. Many
inmates act out while under the influence, complicating
their already difficult situations and compounding their
troubles. Individuals who have a substance dependency in
the “free world” are often unable to separate themselves
from the substance long enough to realize
their problem. Because incarceration prevents
substance abuse, jail is often the first step in a
person’s road to recovery--but only if the person
adheres to the path.
National Institute on Drug Abuse
Inmates are not the only ones who suffer from
substance abuse; when an individual is incarcerated at the local or state level for crimes related to
drugs, his or her family and friends are also deeply
affected at a social, psychological, and economic
level. Like ripples in a pond, drugs and alcohol
have far reaching effects, most of which are negative. Many of the inmates I speak with know their
life is at risk, but they lack the knowledge, fortitude, and support to make positive change. While
incarceration is often viewed as a frightening experience, for some it is a wake-up call that change is
needed. I wish more would heed the call.
Capt. James C. Baldwin
Jail Administrator
Towns County Detention Center