COURAGE TO CHANGE RANCHES

Support toward
Legal Standing

In 2004, nearly a third of state and a quarter of federal prisoners committed their offense under the influence of drugs, unchanged since the last survey of inmates undertaken in 1997.

Neurotransmitter Imbalance (NTI) is the only physiological disease for which there are criminal penalties.

About half of the inmates of Colorado jails and penitentiaries are incarcerated either as a direct result of their addictions (e.g. "too many DUIs" or "possession"), or indirectly (e.g. "crimes against property" or "domestic violence") as an outcome of drinking and drugging.

Many residents at Courage to Change Ranch have legal difficulties, as part of the general deterioration of their lives. And most of them have children, who suffer from the addiction of their parents. Often, these children have been removed from the home - separated from their natural moms and dads.

Courage to Change Ranch has been a tireless leader in educating the judicial and criminal justice systems about the brain disease which underlies alcoholism and addiction. Our voice has joined a host of social and scientific spokespeople who advocate a rehabilitative rather than a punitive model of treating victims of NTI and their families.

Now many judges and probation officers are joining the groundswell, concerned by prison statistics and the "revolving door" of addiction/incarceration.

On the individual level, we support our residents through the legal process. We work with attorneys, district attorneys, law enforcement, parole officers, probation officers, and public defenders...to ensure our people have a chance of negotiating the path of Justice as part of their recovery.

And increasingly, judges and probation officers are directing "The Accused" to become, not a burden on the taxpayers, but a healthy, productive citizen, capable of doing much good in the world.