Inmates, law enforcement talk addiction and consequences with kids
Submitted by jcht2010 on
July 16 was a day to remember for the kids attending the Edna Fire Department's Summer Fire Camp. The campers listened to demonstrations from several different facets of law enforcement, including officers, investigators, jailers, representatives from the Department of Corrections, and even inmates currently incarcerated in the Jackson County Jail.
They learned about arson and accelerant detection from Captain Tommy Pleasant and his canine partner Gabby, both from the State Fire Marshall's office. Gabby demonstrated her ability to detect even a drop of accelerant in a field, and ended the session with lots of pats from the kids.
In the Jackcon County Courtroom, inmates opened up and told raw, honest stories about their own legal problems and addictions to drugs and alcohol, especially synthetic marijuana, also known as "fake weed."
"It is kind of the drug of choice these days," said Chief Deputy Rick Boone of the Jackson County Sheriff's Office, who helped to educate the kids on the risks associated with the drug, "We're starting to see it in schools. They market it as being Potpourri. About 90% of it has some kind of scent or flavoring to invite the younger crowd."
The talk about the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse was followed by a tour of the jail, something many of the children said really hit them hard.
"It was scary," said Cayden Tipton, "I don't ever want to be there."
Ethan Brunson remembered stories about withdrawals from addiction, and said he never wanted to do drugs or be incarcerated.
"The inmates talked to us about not doing drugs, and how they got sick, and we got to see the people in there," he said, referring to inmates in cells who yelled and beat on the windows, warning the kids to never do things that might put them in jail.
Camper Eli Pahmiyer recalled his tour of the jail, and the urging of the inmates to not make the mistakes they made. He also said the jail didn't look like he'd expected, and noted the cramped spaces.
"I thought there would be barred doors and barred windows," he said, "but they showed us the room the exercise in and it was so small."
Valuable lessons were learned in the courtroom and the jail, and an entire group of kids learned about the dangers of drug use, and drinking too much. Chief Deputy Boone said the inmates were chosen carefully for this activity.
"I knew the investigator was going to have the synthetic marijuana available," he said, so I picked a few guys that have those type of charges, and one who was in for the most common drug, alcohol."
The lessons were not taken lightly by the kids who were interested, educated, and slightly scared by the experience, and all say they want to make good decisions and never wind up there.
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