On Wednesday, June 26, 2024 our deputies were called to the report of a stolen bicycle. In a short amount of time, they were able to locate it in a homeless camp along with the subject who had stolen it. The subject was also in possession of drugs.
While at the location, a 35-year-old female, Elizabeth Dockins, was located in a tent, deceased and in possession of drug paraphernalia. Based on our initial investigation this appeared to be another overdose. Toxicology and pathology results are pending on this, and we will have answers when that portion of the investigation is completed. This is becoming the new normal in Mendocino County.
Meanwhile, back in Sacramento our Governor’s Office leadership along with many state legislators are working hard to come up with plans to defeat the ballot initiative (aka Prop 47 Reform) which would roll back many of the failed legislative efforts which are causing so many problems for us. I have no idea what world our representatives in Sacramento are currently living in, something tells me it’s nowhere close to the world we are seeing in Mendocino County.
I used to wonder if this is simply an out of touch issue in which Sacramento was telling rural California “Let them eat cake.” Now I am leaning towards something more nefarious at hand. Over the past several years many attempts to correct the problems of Prop 47 have been brought forward to our state legislature. All of these have been shot down or killed in the public safety committees. It appears this is because representatives have been placed on these committees with the express purpose of shutting down bills which would be tough on crime. We are seeing many people choose to live their life on drugs; that is a reality, these folks shouldn’t have free rein to victimize people who choose not to. If the state continues to ignore our victims, the victims will take matters into their own hands.
This is not what we need to see.
I met with many of the North State Sheriffs who are in dismay regarding the direction things are headed in Sacramento. We would love to explain to our Governor what we are seeing in our communities. It’s not a matter of the Governor not listening; it’s actually a matter of he won’t speak with us. This is a real problem and one that needs to be looked at closely.
When our accidental deaths are over 50% due to drug overdoses, we have a serious problem. When businesses are closing in our state and leaving for locations where they are not victimized, or taxed and regulated out of existence, this should be a wakeup call. This was all sold to us as a humane approach and an alternative to incarceration. A full decade into this experiment, I see nothing humane in this approach whatsoever.
What I am seeing is a new industry which is producing a lot of money. An industry of well-meaning services which simply aren’t working. Catchy phrases such as “Harm Reduction measures” have made their way into the mainstream and they make us feel good. Handing out clean needles and doses of Narcan aren’t solving a problem. It certainly didn’t solve a problem for this young woman on Thursday.
If I find a person cutting themselves with a butcher knife and hand them a box of Band-Aids, I haven’t really solved that problem. But I’m fairly certain the folks selling the bandages appreciate our continued support. As we continue down this road let’s all stay tuned for more shenanigans from Sacramento. If recent history tells us anything, I am certain the politicians will begin a campaign to help us outsmart our common sense once again. This time let’s all educate ourselves, and not allow Sacramento to provide the reading list to us.
Thank you.
This is the way our governor and our government want things they got plenty of our money in their pockets they could care less what goes on out here they are rich and doing what they want to do, I still don’t understand why Americans don’t put their damn foot down and get these suckers out of office every one of them, whole new section of people in there since I’ve been alive 65 years Reagan was the best president I ever saw,
Sobering comments about something that won’t be fixed so long as the left wing runs the state.
As above, so below?
California is often credited with “leading the way”, but in regard to the issues outlined here, and many others, the state seems to be following a pattern of oblivious dysfunction set in DC. Last week’s so-called debate put the whole sorry mess on full display. Could it be any worse? We’ll find out soon enough. Too bad for us and most of the nation.
April 19, 2024 Wall Street Journal
BOOKSHELF
‘Sociopath’ and ‘Borderline’ Review: Understanding Personality Disorders
Two books examine the cost both to sufferers and to those who come into contact with them.
‘I’m a liar. I’m a thief. I’m emotionally shallow. I’m mostly immune to remorse and guilt. I’m highly manipulative. I don’t care what other people think.” Thus opens “Sociopath: A Memoir,” by Patric (short for Patricia) Gagne, psychologist, former therapist, happily married mother of two—and, she would say, an “advocate” for others like her…
At its core, the problem seems to be one of continuity—in emotional control, identity and relatedness. Borderlines are overwhelmingly women who have been abused in childhood, and their clinical prognosis is guarded. Although most people do age out of the condition eventually, their mature years can be marked by depression, drug abuse and rocky relationships.
Thus far, Ana has made progress. Her treatment, Mr. Kriss says, is a continuing story “of how one moves from chaos to stability; from a black-and-white worldview to a more complex one; from a life defined by desperation to one defined by a sense of who we are.” It is clear from Mr. Kriss’s chronicle that Ana has made these moves but also backtracked at times. Mr. Kriss acknowledges that he must make concerted efforts to handle the emotions that Ana’s provocations stir within him.
But what of other people with character pathology who do not have the financial means to afford several sessions a week? (Mr. Kriss treats Ana for a steeply reduced fee.) Today a shorter-term therapy conducted in a group-therapy format, called Dialectical Behavior Therapy, is the most common treatment for borderline personality disorder. It helps people regulate strong emotions by, for example, getting them to think about whether a particular emotion is justified by circumstances and by improving their communication skills so that they can defuse tense situations.
Realistically, however, it is hard to equate a one-size-fits-all intervention like Dialectical Behavior Therapy with the kind of an intensive, customized approach offered by Mr. Kriss. Fortunately, there is a middle ground in which talented therapists can help patients with borderline personality disorder regulate their moods and improve their relations with others.
Like “Sociopath,” “Borderline” presents, among much else, a compelling story. It will be of interest not only to students of psychology but also to the millions of people with family members and co-workers whose lives have been roiled by the afflicted.
— Dr. Satel, a psychiatrist, is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and a lecturer at Yale University School of Medicine.
The New Normal
Where/when a problem solver becomes the threat, and made part of the problem.
When/where the job requires driving a vehicle without a steering wheel.
When/where the line is crossed that violates a person’s right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
When an individual is set up.
When/where one brief misunderstanding between two people becomes a perennial grist for the rumor prone mill.
When/where…”forgive us our tresspasses/sins, as we forgive those who sin/tresspass against us…
When/where a system long overdue for change continues its top/down hold.