NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH
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Sheriff Bobby J. Guidroz is pleased to report, “Our Corrections Operations are taking the opportunity during National Recovery Month to promote and provide much-needed services to our inmates. Also, The Pentecostals of Lafayette have baptized our first group of women.”
“Studies of U.S. jail populations suggest that roughly one million arrestees per year may be at risk for untreated alcohol or opiate withdrawal. One study found that approximately 1.2 million out of 11 million people arrested were alcohol-dependent.”
“Despite these numbers, only 28% of jail administrators reported that their jails provided alcohol or drug detoxification services. One study concluded that 63% of all arrestees were being held in facilities that reported never detoxifying their inmates. The study also suggests that as many as 756,000 detainees were at risk for untreated alcohol withdrawal within the first 48 hours of being arrested.”
Sheriff Guidroz concludes, “Many think that law enforcement exists only to arrest and detain people; our responsibilities go much farther. To incarcerate without any attempts to reach out, help inmates heal, provide them something to believe in, is to condemn them to a life of desperation and hopelessness. We are so grateful to the many churches, their clergy and pastors for their efforts. Likewise, the AA meetings are a significant, proven method of guiding and maintaining persons through their battles with dependency. Together we will do all we can to ensure that our detainees are better prepared for life outside the confinement of jail.”
