Hello all, I just joined PTO and am amazed at the support and information system everyone provides. I am awaiting sentencing for a drug offense sometime in mid Sept. I am wondering are there any programs I can enter into to take time off my sentence? I am looking to get in and out ASAP, so any feedback is greatly appreciated. Thank you and God Bless

"...what we do in life echoes an eternity..."

- Marcus Aurelius

Welcome to PTO! Someone from California will be alone who can answer your question.... But, welcome!

Deb

Welcome to PTO Sam, I'm not sure about your question but I have heard of some programs.I guess it depends on a lot of things. What if you attended NA meetings untill your sentenced ? Would that help?

Voluntarily getting involved in NA and attending a lot of meetings couldn't hurt and will undoubtedly help you if you make use of the tools offered in that program. It's hard to say whether it will help you in and out ASAP, but it will help you to never go back again if you work the program well and to the best of your ability.

Thank you everyone for your advice as this is a most troubling time for me and my family. I hope to gain further knowledge from you all.

Sam if you are in on a drug related offense..as you indicated in this forum, ask your lawyer about Prop 36 which allows 1st and 2nd time non-violent offenders with simple drug offenses to go to treatment (paroled to treatment) in Lieu of Prison..

Im not sure about what county you are in or what part of California but if in northern cal i can give you some information on who to contact about getting into treatment, that is IF you are willing to get clean or just using it to stay out of prison. Lots of people are just doing it to get out of prison and not because they want a better life..but then sometimes ive seen a person who went to stay out of prision initially and in the end stayed because he/she wanted a better life and found hope while in treatment..

Good luck to you

I'm not familiar with Cali, but I know when I was in trouble for my crime(s) here in NC... I went through a couple different programs; The Dart program, and The Task program.

I'm sure there's some kind of rehab. programs there in Cali!

I'll keep you in my prayers.

Jody

i am in cali as well. and as i write this, i am looking some stuff up online--just to make sure the info. i give is correct.

here is a link..regarding California Courts:Programs:Drug Court http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/programs/drugcourts/

i use to live in santa cruz, and had many friends that were doing drug court down there.

drug court is NOT easy. i was never in drug court, but about 2/3 of the people in my SLE (sober living environment) were involved with it (in 2000). i was going to post in here what i knew about drug court...and what my friends had to deal with, but i felt it best not to, so just PM me if you would like to know.

NOW, regarding things you could to do possibly lesson your sentence. this is what i tell EVERYONE that i know that is going through the same sort of thing...(ie: drug charge)....

i recommend you look into some treatment facilities. the one i went through was 8 days (max) in detox (in my case i was there for 2 1/2 days). then you get transfered to the upstairs which is 28 days..so its a little over 30 days. if you pay out of pocket it can never come back on you regarding getting health insurance. <--thats what my mom did--AND if you can pay out of pocket--IF there is a bed available, it will help you to get in sooner-- i do know that some insurances cover treatment facilities. you can also go in on "county bed". now, its kinda difficult to get in on county bed, due to the fact that there are so FEW co. beds available. i went through JANUS OF SANTA CRUZ i will post a link if i can find one. i know that to get in there on co. bed...k say that you call janus & tell them that you would like 2 get in on co. bed. (this is regarding detox) they will make you call in at certain times..and if you fail to call, they will drop your name to the bottom of the list. these beds are in such high demand..that why should they take you in if you cant even call when they ask you to? ;)

i do not know which part of cali you are in..so here is just a few links....
http://www.coadventure.com/treatmentfacilities.htm
that link gives their recomendations on which facilities are the best.

here is 1 for orange county.. http://www.comebacktreatment.com/our_facility.htm

and last but not least. here is the link for janus of santa cruz.

http://www.janussc.org/

i really REALLY recommend janus. not just because i went there. but, god, its the shit! when i was there (2000). from what i can remember. is that my mom paid a total of $5,200 or around there for me to be in detox for 2 1/2 days & 28 days upstairs.

anyways, i hope this posting isnt confusing. :) good luck! 1 more thing, omg, i almost forgot this!

THE 1 THING I RECOMMEND THE MOST---START GOING TO MEETINGS. they say 90 in 90---90 meetings in 90 days. but i recomend going to like, at least 2 a day. i recommend getting a sponsor--get started on your steps. IF you start going to meetings make sure you have a sign off sheet...i have found that doing those little things, it shows that you (HOPEFULLY) ACKNOWLEDGE that you have a problem. and are doing something about it.

bye bye

1 more thing i agree w/sunnie i forgot to mention that 1 major thing.

its 1 thing to go into a treatment facility to help yourself, but its another to go in just to get a shorter sentence. so i hope you WANT to go in because you NEED help!

thats it i swear! lol :D