What Science Says to Do If Your Loved One Has an Opioid Addiction

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Sep 14, 2017, 1:51 PM UTC

gozur88 wrote: post #24

kchoudhu wrote: post #2

Now that the opioid crisis is a problem for white people, science makes an appearance in the policy discussion. Contrast to the crack epidemic in the 80s: fuck'em, throw them all in prison. Edit to add: I wish the best of luck to those who have been caught up in this crisis: I'm rooting for you, and I hope every last one of you find the treatment you need. For those of us who aren't affected, it's time for some deep…

>Contrast to the crack cocaine epidemic in the 80s: fuck'em, throw them all in prison. That's overly reductive to the point of being wrong. There was never a particularly strong feeling that crack addicts should be thrown in prison any more than other types of addicts. People were strongly in favor of throwing crack dealers in prison because they were turning neighborhoods into war zones as they fought for lucrative…

Post by grasshopperpurp » Thu, Sep 14, 2017, 1:52 PM UTC

zaroth wrote: post #89

grasshopperpurp wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In a fair system, black and white defendants who score the same number of points under this formula would spend the same time beyond bars. But The Herald-Tribune found that judges disregard the guidelines, sentencing black defendants to longer prison terms in 60 percent of felony cases, 68 percent of serious, first-degree crimes and 45 percent of burglaries. In third-degree felony cases — the least serious and broade…

I'd like to see a control for the amount of money spent on legal defense. The anecdote in that report itself suggests that it's the skill level of the defense attorney which is most likely a dominant factor. From someone I know with personal experience, after they were charged with possession with intent to distribute due to growing pot, they had 3 choices. Go to jail, spend $X on an attorney who would get them proba…

Post by hammock » Thu, Sep 14, 2017, 1:56 PM UTC

Kluny wrote: post #236

astura wrote: post #224

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What!? Religious rules are not "to protect the community from sociopaths." For example, eating pork is not sociopathic behavior and yet a large part of the world's religions forbid pork eating. People who have problems with the religious community usually are for their arbitrary rules rather than they'd much rather be sociopaths. (I'd make the argument they aren't particularly good about keeping sociopaths out anyway…

The parent commenter probably read this book: https://www.gitbook.com/book/hintjens/psychopathcode/details I read it to. The thesis is basically that - societal norms are designed to make it easy for normal people to notice psychopaths and avoid them. The book is pretty convincing, I'd give it a look. I didn't notice too many numbers or studies quoted in it, though. Presented without evidence though, parent commenter…

Post by emodendroket » Thu, Sep 14, 2017, 2:00 PM UTC

KGIII wrote: post #148

Notre1 wrote: post #123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The ACLU, using from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, says that "for-profit companies were responsible for approximately 7 percent of state prisoners and 18 percent of federal prisoners in 2015" I don't think that count's as "highly" privatized. I personally think the incentives involved in the private prison system present major ethical issues, but I think we need to look at the incentives involved with the our leg…

They may be referring to a bit more than that. Most inmate supplies, from clothing to blankets to mattresses to hygiene supplies, comes from one company called Bob Barker - no affiliation with the TV personality. There are just a few companies that supply canteen/commissary services. Construction is done by just a few companies. Things like that may be what they are referring to.

Post by hourislate » Thu, Sep 14, 2017, 2:06 PM UTC

otakucode wrote: post #42

anythingnonidin wrote: post #18

OP here. An interesting takeaway I had was the importance of community. Does anyone know any non-profits or startups working to increase people's sense of community at a mass scale? It seems this is missing from large parts of the western world and has many consequences.

It reminds me of things Mother Teresa (who was at times a horrendous person, her Nobel acceptance speech is pretty disturbing and cruel) said about American/western society. She remarked that although a person in India might be radically more poor, even if they were starving in the street, they knew people would reach out to them and cared for them. In America, no matter how rich you are, you feel far more alone than…