New Criminal and Drug Rehab Program Helps a Man Discover His Potentiality

Published May 21, 2010

Julio was last arrested at 30 years old. Born and raised in Clovis, New Mexico, he moved to Las Vegas, New Mexico, when he was 18, where he graduated High School and then began college.

His drug use began recreationally, when a friend showed him the high of sniffing inhalants, gold spray paint. A few years later he was addicted and his attitude in life and his actions had completely changed. Once a good student and a top All State soccer player he flunked out of college. He had lost his dreams.

Years later, he was in Texas and lead a police car on a high speed chase. When they finally popped the tires and then captured Julio he managed to slip out of the hand cuffs. He stole a police car at the scene, and almost ran over a cop in his race to leave the scene. The state tried him for âattempt to commit capital murder on PDâ, but fortunately the video showed that he swerved to avoid hitting the officer. Given a five year sentence for getting out of restraint from handcuffs, he did 2.5 years and was paroled in 2005. Julio maintained sobriety through his parole sentence but relapsed and moved back to NM. He lost his wife who went back to Dallas with his second son.

He was rearrested and sentenced for possession of aerosol, misdemeanor attempt to use it for a euphoric feeling. He was busted inhaling behind a housing project in a vacant yard.

Once in the system, again, the social worker for the public defenders office referred him to a new criminal and drug rehabilitation program in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Second Chance Program was opened by Rick Pendery, who is the national executive director of the Second Chance Centers, after having a high rate of success running the Second Chance Program in state prisons.

Julio has been taking part in the program for six months, he explains what a difference it has made in his life, âEverything has changed. My self confidence is restored, I have self esteem. I no longer see myself as a loser. I have potential to learn, my hunger to get educated has returned. Education is the one thing that canât be taken away from a person. I want to go back to school. I believe that the best counselor is one who has been through it. I want to help others. I also want to be a soccer coach. And I like to use words, I might want to do something in the field of English literature.â

The Second Chance Program consists of four core modules, the Drug Rehabilitation Module, the Learning Skills Module, the Self Respect Module all of which are delivered in a secure residential facility, on an intensive eight-hour a day, six-day a week course schedule over an average of six to eight months. The Reintegration Module which includes Life Skills is continued post release to ensure their successful reintegration into the community as a productive citizen.

I feel strongly that this program needs to made available to people.â, Julio explains. âI canât say enough how I feel that it will save lives. That is what it comes down to: Second Chance has become a front line battle for lives out here, the staff here that are willing to pass on what they are being taught are front line soldiers. The drug war is everywhere. We are battling an unseen enemy that is very prevalent. This enemy needs to be addressed. We canât cover it up. People canât wait until it affects them or someone they know.â

Article by Jayden Adams, Editor-in-Chief International Newswire

For more information about the article, go to Second Chance Program or Second Chance Successes

New Criminal and Drug Rehab Program Helps a Man Discover His Potentiality

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