Jabber, thanks for this information and conversation.
My Difficult Child was in the county jail or the workhouse every time, which I "heard" was worse than some state prisons. I have no idea. I could rest easier when he was there...but that was all about me. I'm sure it's not a good place to be and the first time he went, I thought I would literally die with the pain and fear and grief of it all.
But as you point out, the resources are there. They can use them for good or they can resist them. Once again, it comes down to their choice...as so much of this does.
One time I got all caught up in whether or not AA was offered in jail. Difficult Child said it wasn't. I read on their Website it was. I was convinced (way back when) that maybe he just missed the announcement (What? Every single time? Lol). So I called up there and was going to get to the bottom of whether or not they had AA or not...and how they communicated to the population...on and on. You get the picture. Of course they have it and they announce it multiple times via loudspeaker. When I told Difficult Child about this he said: Well, not in my pod, they don't? (What???? Sure, they just leave out your pod.) At that point, I realized I'd been had...once again....lol on me. It was a distraction, I guess, gave me the illusion I was actually...doing something...taking action...in an impossible situation.
It is what it is. It doesn't mean it isn't crazy and painful.
Thanks, Jabber, for being a good voice and a good person working in this industry.
