We are glad to have you with us. I learned years ago when I found DS, that this is the place to get answers and compassion. More so than from people out here in our every day lives. WE all understand what each other is going through. We all are here. We all have experienced many of the same things others will be going through. It is tough, it is sad, but all in all we can help each other make it through these tough times.

We give tips, advice, and understanding. Wow you are so smart to come here. You find yourself on here several times a day. These are the friends that will understand and care more than outside friends. We all become very special to each other. I stayed on here even when my son, then fiance got home.

Unfortunately, fiance is in again.

Having a son in prison brings up many questions. What could I have done different as a mom? NOTHING probably. They do what they do regardless of what we taught them. Will they be safe?? Yes most definitely in most cases they will. They will be bored out of their minds, and they will question how they could be so stupid to get in this mess. That is good. They need to do that.

Know that some days you will cry. Some days you will be mad at him. But you will always love him, because a mom loves unconditionally. We gave birth to them.

My son has been home 4 years now. I am so glad. For the most part he is doing well. But he is still a pain in my back side. BUT he hasn't called me or answered my texts lately, so I worry. And am mad he doesn't. So tomorrow, I will go there, find out he has just been busy. No excuse in my book. Not when he used to call just because he had a head ache.

I know nothing is wrong because his gf posts pictures of him sleeping in odd positions. They like to embarass each other. So he is alive and ok, but just ignoring me. I didn't ignore him when he was in prison. Things never change with me and my Andy.

He did send me a pic of his baby girl yesterday so I know he is still alive. HAHA So tomorrow, I drive to MN and give him a little scolding for ignoring his mama. And it goes on and on... forever with me and that " kid". But he is a grown man with lots of kids now. No time for his mama anymore. But I sure made time for him all his life and while he was in prison. So tomorrow, I will go there, he will give me a quick hug, and then exasperate me. But at least we have that now that he is out.

Thank you for your response & welcome!! Sounds like you have been thru the ringer!! I'm glad you get to go to your son & after giving him a hug, give him a good 'ole fashion Momma scolding for making you worry even more!! ;-) don't they know by now that we will never stop worrying about them?!?

Not sure if this is appropriate place to put this on here & if not I will delete it but this came across my newsfeed today. They are addressing this in Springfield IL. Just wondering what anyone thinks??

"ACLU Pushes For Lower Drug Penalities
Crowded prisons, overworked guards, and mounting costs have prompted the governor and many lawmakers to look at the way the state handles the criminal justice system.

A new plan at the Capitol aims to reduce prison time for some drug offenders.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois is asking state lawmakers to lower penalties for some drug offenses.

The plan would reclassify penalties of one gram of controlled substances like methamphetamine. heroin and cocaine.

Punishments would change from a class 4 felony with a one to three year prison sentence, to a misdemeanor with a maximum of one year in prison.

Rudall says a lot of times treatment leads to better results than incarceration.

"The evidence shows that incarceration doesn't really a great deterrent effect on people who commit crimes, especially people are addicted to drug and who are motivated by an addiction that is beyond their own self control."

Rudall says if the plan was implemented three years ago it would have saved the state about $57 million.

And that money could've went toward treatment, which is more effective for drug users.

Many of the lawmakers agreed this plan could lower prison populations to help stop overcrowding."

I think it's a great thing to post. And more states should adopt this. We have seen prisons get more and more overcrowded, yet none of that deters people. I doubt if it ever will.

I am for this with DUI's too. Treatment has been proven to be more effective than incarceration, yet they still keep putting them in prison. My theory which is backed up by many studies is they put people in prison to make money. They will spew statistics of how much it costs to incarcerate. But they don't say how much it would save NOT to incarcerate but use other methods.

Wisconsin had a great governor who saw this and wanted to reduce the amount of people put in prison for these crimes. He wanted to use treatment and other methods, but when our latest governor came into office, he knew that it was politically correct to get rid of that plan and make his stand tough on CRIME. Crime of those natures is not our nations problem. Murder, etc is.

Drug selling does not stop because they incarcerate a few people. Those people still have connections that take over their territories. I know. My son's friends took over for him.

Drunk drivers learn nothing by just sitting in prison doing nothing.

Prison is a money making industry. Their are articles about this. The town the prison is in usually has a better economy because they are there. It employs many people, the local businesses are busier because they are there. We go there and visit. We stay in hotels, use their stores, etc. People move into the area because they are employed in them.

Saying that incarceration is a useful way to treat these types of so called crimes is ridiculous.

Drug dealing will never end. Especially when you have cops involved in it too. When my son was arrested, half of the cocaine they found in his house was not reported. Cops took it. Gee, what did they do with it?

At a county workhouse a woman guard would smuggle drugs in for the guys. A guard smoked pot with my son.

No incarceration is not the answer for drug offenders or drunk drivers. Education, treatment, counseling is.

Just re read your post. HAHA I laughed at the OVERWORKED GUARDS thing that post said. Overworked my butt. Most of them sit there, talk to each other, read books and magazines and sit on the computer. My fiance said it has to be the easiest job ever, for a good wage. Very few problems where he is, so they don't do anything but sit and maybe answer a question now and then, oh yea and do COUNT... and no one ever escapes. Hard job, overworked, my hind end. HAHA

For days I've been completely distraught over what happened!! Now I am all fired up! (I'm not naive enough to think this is my sons ticket out but I guess advocating is gonna be my new 'charge'). Maybe it will help somebody!!
I will try to make this long story somewhat shorter...
My son (who has never even been in jail other than initial arrest) is now sitting in a prison receiving facility sentenced to 2 yrs for poss. of con. sub.(the time seems minor compared to others I'm finding, but not to us) for the exact thing that our Gov & lawmakers are trying to have stopped!! Non-violent drug offenses. Should he be punished? Absolutely! Should he be in prison for 2 yrs? Absolutely NOT!! Ok, yes, I'm his Mom & yes I am partial but seriously??? This is not the answer!! Or the solution to helping these kids!!! (My opinion).
Thanks for 'listening' & letting me vent!!

I guess I deleted more of my rambling post than I thought! Hope it makes sense.

You make perfect sense to me. And I agree with you. Get fired up. It helps get through this. We have to at least try to see what we can do. Most of the time, we can't change things, but then again, you never know. Gotta do something. I sure have.

So many other things that make this completely wrong!!! And heartbreaking!!!

As you get into this more and more, you will see all that is wrong with what they do in the justice system. They know they are. And there is little we can do to change it. No one cares about the people going through it, if they haven't went through it themselves.