Good Samaritans, Essay Example

The Good Samaritan Network is a non-profit organization that aids people, who are released from correctional units. This rehabilitation service consists of civil members, who base their attitude towards the released prisoners on faith and religious belief. The group emphasizes that thousands of people are leaving the correctional facilities without any money, clothes, place to live, and what is more important, without a job and a family. The members of the Good Samaritan Network carefully study the person, before starting to fully take care of his/her life. Firstly, a special probation officer finds out the needs of the particular offender. He also contacts the local church and notifies the person in charge of the basic needs of the offender and his/her characteristics, including race, gender, and age. Secondly, the offender should contact the Good Samaritan Network and assign a meeting with the representatives or simply ask for the necessities to be delivered. Moreover, a mentor is assigned to the offender to assist the offender and to report to the probation officer. “These services may vary depending on location, congregation, and availability” (The Good Samaritan Network).

Samaritan Village, Inc. is a volunteer organization that provides a spectrum of help to homeless people, veterans, as well as released parolees. Founded almost fifty years ago, this community offers its help to ex-prisoners by means of assisting their way of returning back to normal life. Not only does it effectively supports these people on the short run by providing some place to live in, communication, and recovery programs, but also proposes several education courses. “A myriad of services, inclusive of group therapy, individual counseling, and vocational support place special emphasis on examining participants’ criminal histories” (Samaritan Village). The goal of this organization is not only to prevent or diminish the number of possible repeated crimes, but also to make ordinary people’s life more protected. Most programs offered by this group last approximately twelve months. All participants and support team members are voluntarily involved in them. Moreover, this association is also concerned with the problems of drug addiction. Its members collaborate with several criminal justice institutions in order to decrease the number of arrests and to prevent rising number of drug addicted teenagers.

A problem of drug addiction has always been severe dilemma in modern society. Though government officials spend millions for prosecuting drug dealers, drug addicts still remain unprotected. “More than 700 people died of drug overdoses in Washington State in 2006, up from a little over 400 in 1999” (Stop the Drug War 2009). Therefore, in order to limit the number of deaths, a new bill was introduced by state representative R. Goodman. This law advocates drugs possession, because most of drug-addicted people, who have experienced overdoses, are asking for help from their relatives. As they are usually afraid to be arrested themselves, drug-addicted do not receive any treatment on time. This bill not only supports these people, but also “legalizes the use of the opioid antagonist naloxone to treat overdoses” (Stop the Drug War 2009). Though the bill was already introduced to the House Committee on Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, it was returned for the second reading before it would be approved. In fact, this is one of the first legal attempts to somehow assist drug-addicted and reduce their sufferings.

References

The Good Samaritan Network. (2009). Department of Correction. Retrieved April 24, 2009, from http://www.tennessee.gov/correction/rehabilitative/goodsamaritan.html

Samaritan Village. (2007). Parole Relapse Prevention. Retrieved April 24, 2009 from http://samvill.org/pages/programs.php

Stop the Drug War. (2009). Harm Reduction: Washington State Good Samaritan Bill Would Protect Those Bringing Overdosed Friends to Medical Care. Retrieved April 24, 2009 from http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/576/washington_state_good_samaritan_drug_overdose_bill