Hi folks!

As you can see, we had a wee mishap with the threads! Gutted or what...they were really starting to build up too - we even had a trainee drug worker write in to say how useful she'd found reading the conversations on there.

Anyway, to business...

We've just started conducting a bit of a 'straw poll' on what people think of DRRs ("Drug Rehabilitation Requirement" orders); either from personal experience - or from a more philosophical perspective.

The reason we're doing this is that we've had a number of 'issues' brought to our attention over the last few months relating to DRRs, sometimes the same things over again, so we thought we'd 'officially' gather as many views and angles as possible, and take it to whichever service seemed appropriate, e.g. Probation, Drug Action Team, DIP service...etc, as and where appropriate. It would all be anonymised, of course!

So if anyone reading this feels like putting finger to key-pad, please do - it wouild be well appreciated.

Ok, that'll do for now. If anyone has anything they'd like clarified, please get in touch, either through this Phorum, e-mail (morphin@southamptonvs.org.uk), phone (07977 984 133) or write in [address on site]

Thanks for taking the time to read this.
Take care

Si

MORPH Co-ordinator

Whasssuppp.
Long time no logon.

I think that a DRR is betta than goin to prison.

Although if ya not willin to give up drugs its a bit of a waste of time.
All the groups in the world aint gonna stop you from takin gear if ya dont want.
But when you get assessed your obviously gonna say "yeah I really wanna give up" if the other option is goin down!

I know someone who wanted to go inside, rather than get an order, because he wanted to get his shit together and knew nothin would change on a DRR.

In some groups people that do wanna give up, end up goin off with others that dont and it makes it harder, cos you then all go and score as soon as the groups over.

I'll let ya know more of what I think when my DRR is done with.

Later.

-Trojan- -~'

Yo bro!
Nice to hear from you! Posting's has been slack!

I think the genereal feeling about DRRs is, as you say, they 'work' if YOU WANT TO STOP - and are ready for it (Just like sitting in a hole in the ground with a banana on your head for a week would work ...if you want to stop and are ready!)

The fundamental problem with 'Coerced Treatment' - or the wonderfully Amerikan: "Compassionate Coercion"! - is that people struggling to cope with a Habit get nicked, and faced with choosing: Treatment or Prison!

...So they take the obvious NON-custodial Option - not because they necessarily want to stop using drugs, but because they don't fancy spending 23-hours-a-day, banged-up in a 6 by 9, rattling like a good'un!

However, they're then into the realms of: "You chose to be on this Order, why aren't you making any effort to stop?"

...When the truth was the decision was based on: Jail or Treatment... Not "Do you want to stop taking drugs?"

The only way to do it is to have Treatment that's just as easy to access in the Community as through the Creiminal Justice system - removing any benefit to being nicked if you want treatment.

Keep the rants comin,' dude!
Take care,

MORPH-man

PS: Is your 'name' anything to do with you liking Ska-music? If so, check out Babyhead! Wicked band!

On a more serious note: We've started a weekly (Wed 1 - 3 pm) 'Drop-in Jam Session' at H2O Day Centre, Northam. Just turn up, plug in and zone-out!!

It's aimed at ex-user musicians wanting to do something other than sit round with a bucket of Methadone, watching Trisha, thinking: "It wasn't SO bad being a 'junky'! At least I had something to DO each day!" ...Or sitting at endless meetings talking about drugs - and how good, bad or indifferent they are!