From The News
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From The News
Thursday May 14, 2009
By Amy Williams
How do you stop someone intent on destroying themselves?
R***** Brown is a recidivist drunk-driver who has never held a driver's licence. Last year in July she was charged with her eighth drink-driving offence - while heavily pregnant. It was also her fifteenth conviction for driving while disqualified.
Yesterday she was due to be sentenced in Rotorua District Court, but failed to turn up. She was eventually found outside the courthouse with some friends, and she was drinking.
Grinning at her supporters and reeking of alcohol, she was brought before the judge, who refused to sentence her while she was intoxicated. She could barely stand up straight.
Today, after spending a night in the cells to sober up, she received a sentence of one year in jail. She'll have to serve at least six months of that time before she's eligible for release, and have "special conditions" to help treat her alcohol problem.
While it would be wonderful to think that this time the lesson will stick, that she'll emerge repentant and acknowledging her problem and become a law-abiding citizen, the odds aren't great.
What can the courts do with a person like this? How can they get through to her?
They've banned her from ever having a license. But that doesn't stop her, she's never had one and continues to drive (drunk) anyway. A piece of plastic means nothing to her.
They've sent her to jail before now, too. She's served the time, come out and done it again. Presumably there have already been efforts to put her in a treatment programme. She'll have heard countless police officers, judges, probation officers and counsellors tell her she needs to stop drinking. But the old adage is true - nothing will help unless she wants to change.
The baby she was pregnant with when she got caught last year is being looked after by a family member. So this woman has lost her child, she's served jail time, been told she can never drive legally - and she doesn't care. It doesn't stop her.
Why? Because she is totally dependent on alcohol. It owns her and governs her every thought.
If this woman doesn't stop drinking she is going to kill herself.
There are probably a lot of people thinking "and a good job, too". But it's not just her own life we have to worry about. She's putting everyone else at risk every time she gets behind the wheel.
Brown had supporters in court. She has friends, family. How can they continue to condone her actions? How can friends, knowing her record, allow her to drive - allow her to drink? Why isn't there a charge for aiding and abetting a drunk driver?
It's hard to tailor a judicial system to fit each individual who comes before the courts. As a result, people will always slip through the cracks. Does that mean we should give up on them as a lost cause?
No. If we give up on any individual, no matter how hopeless their situation seems, we are failing as a society. There is almost always something someone can do. It's just a matter of figuring out how to get through to them, and keeping them from reoffending in the meantime.
If Brown is a model prisoner and gets out in six months, she won't have had time to make any changes to her life. A longer spell in prison and a decent chunk of time in a full-on rehab facility could make the difference she desperately needs. And her family and friends - the ones who stood by as she continued to destroy her life - can damn well chip in.
If the Government is serious about overhauling the justice system, it's not just the high-profile murderers and violent crims they need to concentrate on. Every day in our district courts a stream of people just like Rachael Brown are processed - with seemingly no positive result. Their cases aren't as glamorous - most don't make it into the papers unless there's some interesting angle to the story - but they're clogging up the courts, and for what?
I don't want to hear about 'three strikes' and 'enough is enough'. I want to hear about a complete rethink of the way these routine cases are dealt with. Because I never want to have to read a court story about R***** Brown again.
By Amy Williams
How do you stop someone intent on destroying themselves?
R***** Brown is a recidivist drunk-driver who has never held a driver's licence. Last year in July she was charged with her eighth drink-driving offence - while heavily pregnant. It was also her fifteenth conviction for driving while disqualified.
Yesterday she was due to be sentenced in Rotorua District Court, but failed to turn up. She was eventually found outside the courthouse with some friends, and she was drinking.
Grinning at her supporters and reeking of alcohol, she was brought before the judge, who refused to sentence her while she was intoxicated. She could barely stand up straight.
Today, after spending a night in the cells to sober up, she received a sentence of one year in jail. She'll have to serve at least six months of that time before she's eligible for release, and have "special conditions" to help treat her alcohol problem.
While it would be wonderful to think that this time the lesson will stick, that she'll emerge repentant and acknowledging her problem and become a law-abiding citizen, the odds aren't great.
What can the courts do with a person like this? How can they get through to her?
They've banned her from ever having a license. But that doesn't stop her, she's never had one and continues to drive (drunk) anyway. A piece of plastic means nothing to her.
They've sent her to jail before now, too. She's served the time, come out and done it again. Presumably there have already been efforts to put her in a treatment programme. She'll have heard countless police officers, judges, probation officers and counsellors tell her she needs to stop drinking. But the old adage is true - nothing will help unless she wants to change.
The baby she was pregnant with when she got caught last year is being looked after by a family member. So this woman has lost her child, she's served jail time, been told she can never drive legally - and she doesn't care. It doesn't stop her.
Why? Because she is totally dependent on alcohol. It owns her and governs her every thought.
If this woman doesn't stop drinking she is going to kill herself.
There are probably a lot of people thinking "and a good job, too". But it's not just her own life we have to worry about. She's putting everyone else at risk every time she gets behind the wheel.
Brown had supporters in court. She has friends, family. How can they continue to condone her actions? How can friends, knowing her record, allow her to drive - allow her to drink? Why isn't there a charge for aiding and abetting a drunk driver?
It's hard to tailor a judicial system to fit each individual who comes before the courts. As a result, people will always slip through the cracks. Does that mean we should give up on them as a lost cause?
No. If we give up on any individual, no matter how hopeless their situation seems, we are failing as a society. There is almost always something someone can do. It's just a matter of figuring out how to get through to them, and keeping them from reoffending in the meantime.
If Brown is a model prisoner and gets out in six months, she won't have had time to make any changes to her life. A longer spell in prison and a decent chunk of time in a full-on rehab facility could make the difference she desperately needs. And her family and friends - the ones who stood by as she continued to destroy her life - can damn well chip in.
If the Government is serious about overhauling the justice system, it's not just the high-profile murderers and violent crims they need to concentrate on. Every day in our district courts a stream of people just like Rachael Brown are processed - with seemingly no positive result. Their cases aren't as glamorous - most don't make it into the papers unless there's some interesting angle to the story - but they're clogging up the courts, and for what?
I don't want to hear about 'three strikes' and 'enough is enough'. I want to hear about a complete rethink of the way these routine cases are dealt with. Because I never want to have to read a court story about R***** Brown again.
She recorded a breath alcohol reading of 994 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath... she told police she had driven because "she was the least pissed" of the three people in the car.
Just sad - from many aspects.
D
Nature Girl
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: By The Lake
Posts: 60,328
Does that mean we should give up on them as a lost cause?
No. If we give up on any individual, no matter how hopeless their situation seems, we are failing as a society. There is almost always something someone can do. It's just a matter of figuring out how to get through to them, and keeping them from reoffending in the meantime.
No. If we give up on any individual, no matter how hopeless their situation seems, we are failing as a society. There is almost always something someone can do. It's just a matter of figuring out how to get through to them, and keeping them from reoffending in the meantime.
The good news is, that I have seen even the most "hopeless of hopeless" finally "get it" and through recovery find a better path and way of living productive and happy lives. There are many right here on SR. The thing is, almost always it was something they had to learn for themselves.
Sad story indeed. I'm saying a prayer for that woman and for her baby who has probably also been badly affected by her drinking.
Hugs
Follow Directions!
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Fredericksburg, Va.
Posts: 9,730
Dee that is pretty whacked!!!
It seems to me as though drinking like that during pregnancy they could charge her with child endangerment and lock her up for even longer.
People like her are living proof that there is no stopping an alcoholic from drinking until they are ready to quit, except of course locking them up.
Yes there is hope for her and others like her, but in reality it is all in her hands, if she does not want to quit, she won't.
We have a guy in my home group who just in Va. has 13 DUI convictions plus many more drunk in publics, he will be picking up an 8 year chip in a few months. He now has a valid none restricted drivers license & normal car insurance. He shares that he got sober/clean when he was ready, the only way the legal system could keep him sober was in jail or prison.
Many of us die before we hit our bottom hard enough to stop and stay stopped.
It seems to me as though drinking like that during pregnancy they could charge her with child endangerment and lock her up for even longer.
People like her are living proof that there is no stopping an alcoholic from drinking until they are ready to quit, except of course locking them up.
Yes there is hope for her and others like her, but in reality it is all in her hands, if she does not want to quit, she won't.
We have a guy in my home group who just in Va. has 13 DUI convictions plus many more drunk in publics, he will be picking up an 8 year chip in a few months. He now has a valid none restricted drivers license & normal car insurance. He shares that he got sober/clean when he was ready, the only way the legal system could keep him sober was in jail or prison.
Many of us die before we hit our bottom hard enough to stop and stay stopped.
bona fido dog-lover
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: SF Bay area, CA
Posts: 99,784
Anyone drinking like that while pregnant is sure to have a Fetal Alcohol Syndrome baby. That's a real crime, to ruin the baby's chances for a decent life before it's even born.
What a sad sad and disgusting story...
What a sad sad and disgusting story...
Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: NY
Posts: 6,608
It is very sad and I have to say the one thing that got me sober was my pregnancy. It didn't keep me sober unfortunately and for that I have quite a bit of shame. I couldn't put the stuff in my body when carrying my child, but had not problem ingesting it after I was done nursing him. Kind of pathetic. I hope she sees the light (so to speak) very soon and her Higher Power takes over for her.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Hicktown, PA
Posts: 1,479
a decent chunk of time in a full-on rehab facility could make the difference she desperately needs. And her family and friends - the ones who stood by as she continued to destroy her life - can damn well chip in.
This is a very sad story, and very enlightening as to how ignorant people still are about the issues of codependency and detachment.
Also, my brother spent 30 days in a "full-on rehab facility" last year to the tune of $30,000!!!! In the US, health care and rehab is not a government run system, but if the courts are going to require time in a rehab facility, someone's got to pay for it...should that be the apparently neglectful family and friends who can't make an adult behave, the taxpayers or should the alcoholic themselves be given the debt when they leave? Also, what good is a rehab for people who don't want to be there? Maybe some would "see the light" when they are there, but it isn't a definite "solution" to alcoholism, or my brother would be in recovery right now.
Recovery is a choice!!! It can't be court mandated or demanded by family or friends. Until people understand that, they should refrain from passing judgement on the family and friends of addicts as this author did.
I'll say a prayer for this woman and her baby.
Thanks for sharing Dee
Member
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Littleton, Co.
Posts: 3,317
Originally Posted by Horselover 
It is very sad and I have to say the one thing that got me sober was my pregnancy. It didn't keep me sober unfortunately and for that I have quite a bit of shame. I couldn't put the stuff in my body when carrying my child, but had not problem ingesting it after I was done nursing him. Kind of pathetic. I hope she sees the light (so to speak) very soon and her Higher Power takes over for her.
The article is very sad; I do wonder if some people are beyond help with their addictions. Are they genetically wired to never recover, to never reach a bottom other than death?
My prayers are with the woman and her baby.
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