The Judge's Gavel

The Judge's Gavel is a desperate call for reformation of antiquated drug laws and to formally decriminalize addiction and mental health disorders. It is a call for Law Makers and Law Enforcers to recognize the health issues that bring offenders to the courtroom, and to describe the necessary funnel into treatment for a sustainable recovery in order to prevent relapse and recidivism. It is a common understanding that our jails and prisons do not correct addiction, and isolating and shaming an addict does little to prevent future criminal activity.

Brain Injury, Traumatic Stress, Anxiety, Depression, and Substance Use Disorders are treatable and manageable illnesses, not crimes deserving punishment. Chaotic detainment environments do not provide the appropriate care for mental health recovery.

This publication presents common brain function disorders, along with scientific evidence detailing the requirement for specific care and feeding of the brain. Soaring Hope Recovery introduces a science-based, tried-and-true model of care for sustainable addiction recovery and dual-diagnosis treatment, along with a list of Paradigm Shift Contributors, and excerpts of progress in re-imagining justice for the victims of the failing war on drugs.

Included is a comprehensive guide to legal and illegal substances to inform the reader on how they affect the neurological system and lead to criminal behavior. Also listed are the uses and side effects of psychotropic medications in order to illustrate how they relate to exacerbating mental illness, inevitably causing criminal behavior.

The provided glossary of terms helps the reader to know and understand the myriad of acronyms. In addition, a thorough reference section presents five decades of scientific advancement, which is related to neurological dysfunctions and evidence-based methods for the care and feeding of the brain.