A story by Philip McIntyre from 2024
72% of crime is nonviolent. Theft. Possession. Trafficking. If you take a closer look, most crimes committed stem from addiction. Trauma produces sick Americans who ultimately make poor choices. 48.7 million people in the United States are struggling with substance abuse. It’s more likely than not, someone in your immediate family, someone you love and care for, is struggling with this disease. So, how do we fight it? In 1971 Richard Nixon declared a war on drugs. Not a fight to lock down borders and slow drug flow into our country. But a war on its own people. How are we doing on that?? Did you know 136 Americans die every day from drug overdose? If this is a war, it’s a war we’re losing. In the last 5 years, 365,028 people have died to drug overdose, as many people that died in WW2. Our kids are dying and rather than give people the help and tools they need, first time nonviolent offenders are thrown into prison with hard core criminals where that sick nonviolent first-time offender becomes a felon.
We sit in prison and do nothing. Programing is a joke. Rather than teach a young confused 19- or 20-year-old kid how to be responsible, teach him a trade or give him a real shot to change, we forget these kids have release dates. They get out 10 times worse than they went in. The system is broken.
What if you lost everything you had? What if you came from a broken home with no positive support and after 7 years in prison you were released with $50 and a bus ticket and no release plan? What are we doing to the youth struggling with addiction and mental health problems?
I was a 19-year-old kid who couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. A scared kid being manipulated. Nothing to do day in and day out. That kid needed help. He needed to be led in a positive direction. Instead, he was thrown into the lion’s den. Where he was pressed upon to see if he would stick up for himself. Or gassed up to fight. Or told he needed to make a name for himself. I know it sounds like a movie, but this is real life.
People are easily influenced by their surroundings and this works both ways. If a troubled kid is placed in a positive environment surrounded by people doing good things like going to school, programing, AA, counselling, and given meaningful employment, he will do great things! Watch him get out and stay out! Give him the tools and lead him in the right direction and he will become a productive member of his community! Isn’t that supposed to be the goal? That’s a real question. What’s the goal of our justice system?
I’ve served 11 years and I am on my 3rd prison sentence. I’ve seen this place create 10 times more convicts than productive members of society. The recidivism rate in our country is extremely high. We’re not fixing problems, we’re creating them. The system is broken. What are we doing?
I promise you no kid grows up saying “I want to be a junky when I grow up.” Just like no one getting out of prison says “I can’t wait to come back here.” Addiction and the lack of proper treatment and care is at the core of a large percentage of committed crimes. Addiction and the lack of care is responsible for over 100,000 deaths per year. Our kids are dying. In the last 40 years since Nixon began the war on drugs our prison population has grown 500%. We can’t keep going at this rate. Every year is only getting worse and worse.
The needle exchange is giving out needles like candy. I just got a 34-month probation revocation for 0.3 grams of fentanyl. I’ve opened my eyes and I am ready to change my life. I’m ready to put in the work. I’ve been trying to get into college my whole bid but was told there are not enough spots open and I should try when I get out. What? Why can’t I be given the chance to do something productive with my 3 years in prison and further my education? Getting an education could be a goal for me to start now and get the ball rolling for when I am released. I’ve done my entire sentence without a single write up. I’ve taken and graduated from almost every program available! You would think I’d get work release, right? If I had a job set up for when I was released it would be something. Instead, I’m getting released for the 3rd time from a maximum-security prison with no money or education.
I made a mistake and I’ve paid my debt, but the system has failed me. I understand security is the first priority, but shouldn’t rehabilitation be the second priority? So many of us are struggling with addiction. We know nothing else. Yes, Prison gets us sober and that’s great. But instead of healing past trauma, instead of getting real help and learning how to live in the outside world, we’re learning how to become better criminals. When we’re released we’re thrown back into the same environment we just came from with no support. I can’t go back to the same environment because I’m going to die there. I need a fresh start somewhere new. I need a real job. I need to be active in my recovery and the recovery community! I need a positive support system. I need help, I’m begging for help. I’m 32 years old and I’ve never had a license, paid taxes, had cable, or my own place to live. I’ve been shot, stabbed, and jumped. I’ve been homeless. I’ve wasted 11 years of my life in prison. But it stops here! I’m at that point where I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired! There’s got to be more to life than this. I’m meant for more than this. I want to start a family and have kids instead of waiting to die, waiting to be put out of my misery. I’m going to live and I’m going to fight! And even though my pleas for help have fallen on deaf ears, I’m going to rise up and do great things! I’m going to change my life! I’m going to help other addicts, other kids who are struggling and let them learn from my mistakes. Trust me, this is not the road you want to go down so let me be your inspiration! Even if you slip, even if you have already made a mistake it’s not too late. Never stop fighting! Dream big dreams! Don’t sell yourself short, shoot for the stars! The same goes for our system, just because it’s broken it doesn’t mean it can’t be fixed. It starts with us, each and every one of us! I know that someone close to you is struggling. Please show them where they can find help. Lead them to the door and I promise they will walk through it. Please do it today because tomorrow might be too late. Don’t let someone you care about die to addiction.
Because of my experience with incarceration I know firsthand the system is broken but I have to stay hopeful that I can change my life.
Philip McIntyre Maine State Prison
