Topic : 07/27 One Mistake Away from Jail: Teens Wake-up Call

Away Call Doctor From Jail Mis Part Phil/Robin Take Teen Two Up Wake. Ding Ding Ding round two. Here

we go again Ding  Ding Ding One round from yesterday. See you on Friday March 06th, 2009. Sincerley----

Your. Russell Vlaanderen.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My son spent 3 years in jail from the age of 14 to the age of 17. It was a rough time. The whole system in Canada isn't working. Please read attatched story of a Canadian youth. It is a horrible story of mental illness and youth in our jails.

March 6, 2009 - Winnipeg Sun

OTTAWA — The mother of a young woman who committed suicide while her prison guards refused to intervene is demanding the officers who watched her die be held accountable for her death, along with the bosses and “faceless bureaucrats” whose orders they followed.

A tearful Coralee Smith demanded the federal government allow the correctional investigator to finish what he started and name those responsible for her daughter Ashley’s death.

Criminal charges against four correctional officers were withdrawn in December. Now Smith’s mother and her lawyer have written Public Safety Minister Peter Van Loan telling him there is no longer any excuse to withhold blame in the case.

“I would like names,” Smith said Wednesday. “These faceless bureaucrats have to be held accountable. We need to know the names of these officials who are responsible for what happened to my girl.”

The 19-year-old Moncton, N.B., native strangled herself at Ontario’s Grand Valley Institution for Women in October 2007 while seven guards stood back because they had been instructed not to intervene if she was still breathing.

Correctional investigator Howard Sapers reported Tuesday that Smith did not receive the care, treatment and protection she required. He said the incident continued a “disturbing and well-documented pattern of deaths in custody.”

Choking on her tears, Coralee Smith said she’s heartbroken.

“Ashley died because no one in Canada really cared,” she said, her voice shaking.

“No one cared — not the guards who watched her asphyxiate; not the managers who ordered the guards not to intervene in her case; not those nameless bureaucrats who knew that my daughter needed help but did nothing but transfer her 17 times in 11 months.”

Smith promised she will not stop looking for the answers that will prevent such a tragedy from happening again.

“The first step, we feel, is for the correctional investigator to finish his work,” she said. “He did a splendid report, but we’re looking for more.”

I watched the show about the teenagers yesterday and from an experienced mother of an alcoholic I'd like to add "the rest of the story." 

Many alcoholics make it thru life without killing anyone.  However, the harm and the affect they have on everyone that know them is indescribable.  My son is a grown man in his mid-thirties.  He has fathered three children by two different mothers, didn't marry either one,  and is not responsible for any of them.  My oldest granddaughter barely knows him and they live within 30 miles of each other.  She was raised by her mother and grandmother. She is now 17 and has a child of her own and is not married.  The other two grandsons are 4 and 6 and have been in my care for over two years.  The State Children's Division got involved after my son wrecked his vehicle (even though he has no driver's license) while he was drunk.  They spent the night in the vehicle, in a low-water creek in January, until someone driving by the next morning helped them.  These people then hot-lined him to the State. The boys described the event as being very cold and hungry.  If the weather would have been just a few degrees colder, they would have died that night.  They were 1 and 3 at the time.  The 3 year-old was not restrained in a child safety seat and hit the windshield hard enough with his forehead that he cracked the windshield. 

I am in my 50's. I am single and lost my job last summer. I was working as a mortgage loan originator for a bank). I have these two precious little guys to take care of and it has been difficult financially.  I only had one son and now, when I should be thinking about retirement, I am raising two. The sad thing is, there could be a chance of even more children born to my irresponsible, addicted, son. Where does it all end?

By the way, if you wondered about the children's mother, she has even worse addiction problems. She has a total of 4 children by three different fathers. The oldest son lives with his dad. I think the next son lives with someone who is trying to get guardianship, but in my opinion is not a good influence, because she hangs out and lets these drunken and drug addicted people hang out in her home (the boy is 8). And then the two boys that live with me. 

I am in the process of trying to adopt my own grandchildren.  The State is just now, after 26 months, trying to locate both parents to notify them of the hearing to terminate their parental rights.  I don't know how long this will take because they neither one have a permanent place to live.  They live anywhere, with friends, relatives, or whom ever will have them and can stand them for a few days. And in the mean time, the boys and I are on a roller coaster ride, not knowing what's next.

I guess what I am trying to say about the teenagers is that getting in trouble with the law is only the beginning.  Many, many, innocent people end up being involved, whether they want to be or not.

Bret Does not get it......... Nor will he, until he has been sent to prison.  He will spend several years continuing to display his " cocky" attitude while in prison.

I have seen it first hand over & over.

I am a retired Lieutenant from the Department of Corrections California Prison System. I worked for 26 years in the prisons & I watched our prison increase from 12 to 34 prisons.

I have also seen many many young boys & men come into the system still thinking they have the "right" to do what ever they want, when they want. 

When Brett ends up in prison he will still expect his family to come visit and support him by sending money, stamps, books or non essential items.  He will not care that his mother or other family members might do without "something" in order to have his needs met. He will bully & plaace guilt on others  until they do send him "extra's". He will not understand that his whole family is affected by his actions and incardination.

Not to mention anyone else & their families who life might be taken from his pathetic choices.  He will continue to place blame on others, but would be the first to seek revenge if Drunk driver took a life or even hurt one of his family members.

I am very angry that he is not in prison for his actions.  I don't understand how

He has avoided jail/prison time, especially after his friend had great bodily injuries from an accident he caused.

I am angry that he is still free to abuse drugs & alcohol and possibly take another’s life.

How sad that he has little respect for anyone’s life. His additude is like so many others in prison that thinks  " they just want what they want" & life owes it to them.

Retired LT

I watched this show today and  my heart goes out to bret. I do not think that he gets it and I am scared for him. I hope that one day he wakes up and relizes the things that he is doing before it is to late. I believe that chris will be alright but Bret has along way to go. I will keep him in my prays.