Screening: The House I Live In

By Elizabeth BowenIs drug addiction primarily a public health concern or a criminal justice issue? This question is at the heart of the documentary "The House I Live In." In partnership with Kimball Avenue Church, St. Luke's will host a screening and discussion of this important and thought-provoking film on Sunday, July 28 at 2 pm."The House I Live In" takes a close and personal look at the United States' drug policies, collectively known as the War on Drugs. As a result of these policies, the United States incarcerates more of its own population than any other nation-yet drugs remain widely available, and millions of individuals and families continue to struggle with drug addiction. Through interviews with politicians, scholars, prison guards, drug dealers, and incarcerated individuals, the film introduces viewers to the causes and consequences of what has been called "America's longest war.""The House I Live In" underlines a strong current of racial discrimination and oppression underlying the United States' drug policies. National surveys (for example, see the National Survey on Drug Use and Health) have indicated that African Americans, Latinos, and White Americans use illegal drugs at very similar rates-yet African Americans and Latinos, particularly those who live in low-income urban communities, are far more likely to be arrested and incarcerated as a result of their use. To provide just one example, though crack cocaine is sometimes stereotyped as a "black" drug, the NAACP reports that in 2002, African Americans comprised less than one-third of all crack users, but represented 80% of those sentenced under federal crack cocaine laws. In the film, interviews with experts such as lawyer Michelle Alexander and some of the families who have been affected shine light on the devastating results of what Alexander has called "the new Jim Crow."The issues of addiction and incarceration are close to my heart. In my job as a social worker, I worked with many individuals who struggled with addiction and had previously been incarcerated. After dealing with some individuals who have been struggling with addiction, incarcerated or not, it can be hard for them to be able to combat this and be completely free from their misuse of drugs or alcohol. Some people prefer to try and recover by themselves, whereas others may find that they are in need of rehab, which tends to be one of the most popular resolutions. As an alternative to rehab, some people may seek help from sober living centres in order to fight the battle with addiction. This may be more efficient than rehab for some people, so they may visit Https://odysseysoberliving.com/ website. Whichever choice suits them best, it can be harder for people who have been incarcerated to find the necessary help. For most of them, having a criminal record presented significant barriers to finding housing, securing employment, staying healthy, and maintaining the sobriety they sought to obtain. Very often, businesses will implement a form of employment drug testing to ensure workers are free of substance use which goes to highlight the importance of being sober; many will also do background checks, so not having a criminal background will be highly beneficial to your career. In this way, incarceration becomes a risk factor for many other adverse outcomes, from homelessness to poor health. In addition to dealing with the consequences of drug use and incarceration in my professional life, these issues have also touched my family, and so many others.As Christians, we learn that our mission includes reaching out to those who are poor, hungry, sick, or imprisoned. But in the spirit of the prophets of old who spoke truth to power, shouldn't this work also include questioning the laws and policies that are the reason why so many of our brothers and sisters are imprisoned in the first place? To learn more and continue this conversation, please join us for the screening of "The House I Live In" on July 28 at 2pm. An informal panel discussion will follow the screening and will feature local organizations that are working to address the issues of drugs and incarceration in our community. Come to learn, share, advocate, and gain new perspectives on what peace could look like in the midst of this great war.