No matter how much the system tries to avoid raising the rates of recidivism by helping these addicts detox and get clean, without the proper programs and the addicts will to succeed in his or her recovery, the rates will continue to rise. If I didn 't feel sympathy for addicts before, I certainly do after this trip to the jail. I sympathize with the addicts who genuinely want the help to better themselves and their lives and genuinely can 't get the help they need, no matter how badly they want it. I wish nothing but the best for the four gentlemen we met, they all have a long road ahead of them in order to achieve sobriety but if Ivan, Mike and Richard are able to achieve their long term goals, they can better themselves and maybe even help other addicts along the way. Mike wants to recover for not only himself, but for his children, so he doesn 't miss any more …show more content…
He has moved his family to Connecticut and by doing so, he has removed himself from his network that got him into this mess and fueled his addiction in the first place. While this does not guarantee that he will never pursue drugs again, as one can find drugs anywhere he or she if he or she truly wants to, it does give him a fighting chance at recovery. While Ivan admits he is not quite ready to go back onto the streets because he feels if he does, he will use again, he really wants to get help in a program and remain in recovery. By setting a long term goal of becoming a substance abuse counselor, he is giving himself something else to focus on during his recovery as well as turning his bad decision and situation into a good one by helping others recover from their addictions. I believe Ivan and Mike stand the best chance at recovery after this bid in jail. Richard and Eric, on the other hand, are at a different point with their addictions. Eric is likely to continue going in and out of jail for the next several years as his drug of choice, heroin, still seems to have a strong hold on him and he is not quite ready to rid himself of that dangerous love