Street Report #12
Another Street Report from Henry Ser. My feeling is
that the FBMF will attract only a few who can do the Henri type work but
there’s room for many who actively support the Henris through marketing and
fundraising and information technology or random acts of kindness. rjm.
Yesterday attended Magistrates Court for Bill and Tony Smith. Bill’s matter was adjourned ‘til January as he was
seeking a witness to assist him beat the charges against him and the Magistrate
granted him leave to do so.
Tony’s matter was a sad case as he has been in constant
trouble since he has been 14 years of age and is now 43 years of age but not of
maturity. A report was read out from a forensic psychiatrist and it was sad
what he had to report. Evidently for many years Tony was told his grandmother
was his biological mother and that the grandmothers sister was his aunty. He
learned in his youth that the opposite was in fact the truth and that had some
effect on Tony impacting on his progress mentally as he grew older. Also he
lost father due to alcoholism and he really never got to meet him.
Fr. Bob was his probationary (honory) officer when Tony was 11 and he has been
known to Fr. Bob and us volunteers for over 30 years (most of that time being
with Henry Nissan) and for the past 12 years known to the writer. Tony has been
in and out of detox many times and when he is “straight” he is a gentleman,
caring and giving of himself , yet once on the drugs he reverts to his thieving
ways as for the matter he was in court for today.
Tony stated that he becomes childish when on drugs and
the Magistrate commented that children do not do aggravated robberies.
Magistrate also stated that he has had lots of chances to rehabilitate himself
in the past and it was good to see he had support from us but he had to grow up
sometimes and learn to stand on his own two feet. She imprisoned Tony to 8
months gaol and ensured he was on a Correctional Order whilst in prison and got
additional help for his mind problems and counselling as well to assist him.
Went to then St. Kilda and saw Samuel who begged me to
get him into a detox programme or on the methadone programme and will do so
today, hopefully.
Saw Jan, and she was in a state. She broke down and
told me she was on a gram a day of heroin and had to break the cycle. Will take
her today to see another doctor and hopefully get her dosage of methadone upped
and if possible get her back into Windana for a prolonged detox. She was there
2 years ago and for a few months there she was doing greatly. Only trouble was
that she did not keep up her counselling sessions when she left the said place.
Gave out $23.00 in dribs and drabs to various people.
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