Every day 10,000 Baby Boomers (those born between 1946-1964) turn 65 years old and this “Silver Tsunami” will continue for the next 15 years. Within this group of Boomers exits what the American Medical Association calls a “Hidden Epidemic” — 2.5 million American seniors who have substance use disorders. Alcohol abuse is the most common
A huge health problem facing the elderly is misuse of prescription painkillers. Senior citizens take 30% of all prescription medication but they make up only 12% of the population. A recent study of Medicare recipients found that in 2011, about 15 percent were prescribed an opioid when they were discharged from the hospital; three months
Tough on Crime is not Smart on Crime – Justice Speaks Podcast The shibboleth “Tough on Crime” is one politicians find quite appealing. The problem is that being tough–without being smart and effective—makes the community less safe and also costs money better spent on other services that have been squeezed dry by the global financial
Voters or legislators in 29 states plus Guam, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for medical purposes and eight states have legalized it for recreational use. According to the Pew Research Center, at the end of 2016, 57% of U.S. adults say marijuana should be legal despite the fact that the
Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, liberals and conservatives, there was support from both the right and the left to dismantle the “war on drugs” and reduce mass incarceration. For a number of years, citizens have rejected the politicians’ shibboleth of “tough on crime.” Public opinion polls supported treatment over incarceration, particularly for non-violent crimes. Prisons were closing,
Melbourne, Victoria The distance between San Francisco, my home airport, and Melbourne, Australia is 7,860 miles and the flight time is about 17 ½ hours including a change of planes in Los Angeles. However, when you get there it’s always surprising how much more we are like the Aussies than not. I recently spent a
Family Drug Treatment Courts – Justice Speaks Podcast Scope of the Problem There are approximately one million child abuse and neglect cases investigated in the United States each year involving nearly 250,000 children. An additional 2.5 million children are being raised by grandparents or other relatives. They are currently referred to as “Opioid Orphans.” The
Therapeutic Jurisprudence, Procedural Justice And Labeling Theory – A Continuum Of Fairness
Therapeutic Jurisprudence, Procedural Justice And Labeling Theory – A Continuum Of Fairness Few would argue that the judge is the most influential person in the courtroom. From increasing positive drug treatment court outcomes to choosing a fair and representative jury, judges can not only affect the actual outcomes of legal disputes but they overwhelming set
Sober as a Judge; Drunk as a Lawyer
Sober as a Judge; Drunk as a Lawyer The national average for people with alcohol use disorders is 1:10. According to Law.com, for lawyers, it’s 1:3. Fully one third of the profession is struggling with alcoholism. How can that be? What makes lawyers vulnerable to alcoholism? And what is the profession doing about it? Sober
The Marijuana Re-Schedule
The Marijuana Re-Schedule It was good news and bad news this week for those who wish to legalize marijuana when the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) declined to move marijuana from a Schedule I to Schedule II drug. (Statement 1, Statement 2) The ruling came in response to two petitions – one from the governors of
