Need advise - desperatly!
Hello. This is my first post. I am glad to have found a site specific for family members.
My brother in law brings me searching for answers. He has been a cocaine/crack addict for about 30 years. He has been in and out of rehabs. He has been incarcerated in prisons twice. Mostly for theft to support his drug habit.
His latest incident (last week)- he took a single check from my in laws (his parents) and forged a check for about $1500. By Monday the family must decide whether to bring this to the banks attention - at which point the bank will prosecute. We figure he is looking at 15 years - given his age this is paramount to a life sentence.
If, on the other hand we help cover the financial losses - not contacting the bank - he would walk.
Currently he is unemployed - having been fired for no shows. He has no health insurance. He is probably been given eviction papers. He has no car (trades them for drugs). He is one step away from homelessness - unless one of us takes him in again. Trouble is he robs us blind.
I know the rhetoric about detachment - enabling - codependency. And yet - faced with this terrible decision, it is hard to put into practice.
I would love some advise to share with the family - before Monday morning - before we must decide to allow prosecution or not.
Thanks in advance.