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Posted by: Unregistered

About 2 years ago we found out my 19 year old brother was getting into some pretty heavy drugs. Oxy, heroin etc...

At the time he was living and stealing from us and selling it to a pawn shop..we had the police confirm this but no charges were filed because my father didnt want my brother to have a criminal record. During this time he also got into a motor vehicle accident and flipped the car of a family of three that were on there way to daycare( no one was injured luckily).

He told the responding officers that he fell asleep but i know it was the drugs that he was on. My father Got some sort of protective custody againt him and was able to get him into a rehab program. He stayed at the rehab program for about a year and my father let him back into the house.

A few weeks ago we started missing things again and my father kicked him out. We got a notice from the new bedford court that he was arrested and charged with possesion of a class a substance(heroin)and has a court date november 2nd. I went into his room and found several needles along with other paraphanila(pipes,spoons etc..). He has since moved in with his girlfriend and sleeps there half of the time and in their van half of the time. His girlfriends mom came up the other day and stated that my brother and the girlfriend wanted her to go to the pawn shop and sell some stuff for them( constuction items)which i believe may be hott or stolen.

If confronted i think the mom would stay on the side of the kids, and not admit anything as sad as it is. My brothers life is spiling out of control and i want to get him help before its to late. Any idea on how to pursue this? could we get protective custody on him again because hes over 18 and doesnt live with us.

Should i write the judge and inform him/her of the situation, because im pretty sure his record is clean beacuse no charges were filed against him? Ive already talked to him and like most junkies they dont see there problem and dont want help, id love to give the big brother smackdown, but im to late and it wouldnt help and would just get me into trouble. I see him as a danger to himself and society...Just wondering what action(s) My father or I might be able to take to get him help before its to late....

Thanks guys!!

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Posted by: Gil

Quote:

he was arrested and charged with possession of a class a substance(heroin)and has a court date November 2nd.

He already has a criminal record. I had a similar situation in my family. After a few years of the forced rehabs etc.. I gave up. You can lead a horse to water but that's about it! My life is much less stressful now that I have all but disowned both a brother and a sister.

Hats off to you for wanting to help but if they do not want the help your actions are a waste of your time.

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Posted by: Unregistered

What is the possible penalty for possesion of a class A in Mass? I just dont want to see him let off with a slap on the wrist like he has gotten off in the past.as bad as it is Id love to see him do a little time or even another forced rehab to show him what life is going to be like if he continues to choose his current path. anything would be better than him sleeping in his van with a busted out back window for the winter.

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Posted by: Curious EMT

Up to two years for first offence. Subsequent 2.5-5 years.
His prior record (if any)will influance what his sentance will be. You say he has never had a record, but I personaly have never seen someone's first arrest / court appearance be for Class-A. It's about as hard as hard-core drugs come, and usualy there is a lot of other drug / criminal activity before starting heroin, and surely some prior araignments...

Good luck, but heroin, crack, and meth are life-long drugs, and it's not your fault that he will keep doing them, and unless you have him his first spike, dont blame yourself for anything...

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Posted by: dcs2244

Sorry, kid, but barring a religious conversion...it's pretty much a "stick-a-fork-in-him" deal. Whatever he does is up to him...lead a horse, et cetera: if he doesn't do it...it will not be done.

Sorry, I'm not trying to be heartless (I am heartless by nature )...but that's just the way it is...in my experience. The most you can do is "grease-the-ways" for him and make it as painless as possible.
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Posted by: Ranger2

You can do 2 things...

1. Warrant of Apprehension or
2. Section 12 for Mental Health

This would get him in the courts and have him committed for at least 30 days in a treatment center so that he can get the appropriate help

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Posted by: justanotherparatrooper

Ive dealt with alot of this stuff with my own kids up to and including 'child in need of service' petitions, placements, etc... Heartless as it sounds there just aint a hell of alot you can do. To change, you HAVE TO WANT TO and most junkies just dont want to. Watch your property, checking accounts and credit card statements (really easy for family members to get your information and mess up your credit and finances).

By the way , I dont know how it is in ma. but in nh a parent is financially responsble for the care of theyre children, NO MATTER THEYRE AGE! I know as Ive spent a small fortune reimbursing the county services where I live.
Bestof luck

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Posted by: Gil

Quote:

Originally Posted by justanotherparatrooper I dont know how it is in ma. but in nh a parent is financially responsble for the care of theyre children, NO MATTER THEYRE AGE! I know as Ive spent a small fortune reimbursing the county services where I live. Bestof luck

That's just not right!

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Posted by: justanotherparatrooper

NOPE, its not... just the way it is

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Posted by: no$.10

Sadly, your brother does not care about you as much as you care for him. If he did, he would see how much he has hurt all of you (father and yourself).

What good is thirty days gonna do if one year did not help?

Like Gil said, "you can lead a horse to water..."

Tough love may not be enough to change him, but it may save your sanity. Save you strength for your children, your parents, your friends. He will not even want to change until he hits ROCK BOTTOM. Maybe rock bottom will be sleeping in a van with no window through the winter. If he knows you will always take him back, then he has no incentive to get himself right.

Keep a stiff upper lip, he is lucky to have you, and maybe someday he will realize that, but not right away....

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