Wind River Free Press
Online Magazine. Richard E. “Rick” Dennis CPP - Freelance Journalist & Author.
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ONE GUN SURVIVAL
By Richard E. “Rick” Dennis CPP Freelance Journalist October 10, 2024 Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved WHICH ONE WOULD YOU CHOOSE? Today, the United States gun fanciers have a myriad firearms to choose from including: Domestic and Foreign manufacturers as well as an array of firearm types, calibers, and gauges. However, if you found yourself in a catastrophic situation and you were limited to one gun and one caliber or gauge choice, to perform multiple tasks, e.g., from survival to self and home defense, which firearm would you choose and what caliber or gauge would you select to perform a myriad tasks? For clarification, caliber choices are restricted to hand guns and rifles and gauges are restricted to shotguns. Bear-in-mind, the firearm type, whether rifle, shotgun, or pistol as well as the action type, e.g., semi-auto, single shot, pump, double barrel, over and under, single action, or double action and caliber or gauge is a matter of personal choice. However, the firearm and caliber or gauge must be capable of performing double duty from survival, i.e, hunting small and large game, for food consumption, to home and self defense purposes. Another criteria, for consideration, is the bulk storage of ammunition. WHICH CALIBER OR GAUGE? For instance, handguns come in a variety of design types, styles, e.g., double action or single action semi auto pistols, double or single action action revolvers, single shot, and bolt action. Handguns are chambered in both centerfire and rimfire cartridges. Centerfire cartridges use a primer seated in the center of the cartridge case to ignite the powder and rimfire cartridges use a powder ignition system located in the rim of the cartridge case. Caliber choices range from the venerable 22 caliber rimfire to the powerful center fire caliber cartridges. Furthermore, handguns are also chambered in centerfire rifle cartridges, e.g., 243 Winchester, 30 30 Winchester, and 7mm 08 Remington. Handguns are manufactured with fixed sights, adjustable sights, and some can be affixed with telescopic and red dot sights. But is a handgun the ideal choice for the one gun survival tool by itself? Long guns are divided into two groups, Rifles and Shotguns. Rifles come in a variety of action types, e.g.,: semi auto, pump, single shot, and bolt action. Rifles come with fixed sights or the ability to mount a telescopic sight. Rifles come chambered in a large variety of rifle calibers, from the 17 caliber to the might dangerous game calibers used on the Savannah’s of Africa. On the other hand, shotguns are manufactured in a variety of action types, e.g., semi auto, pump, single shot or break open action, double and single barrel designs. Shotguns are chambered in either the 410, 28, 20, 16, or 12 gauges. Unlike the rifle which fires a single projectile, the shotgun is capable of firing a mixed bag of shotgun shell ammunition, e.g., lead and steel pelleted shot shells, including buckshot, to rifled slugs. But is the rifle or shotgun the ideal choice for the one gun survival tool by itself? MY PERSONAL CHOICE FOR ONE GUN SURVIVAL AND THE REASONS WHY! Overall, if I were limited to a one gun survival battery I would choose a light semi-auto rifle, in either a traditional or take-down model, chambered in the time tested 22 Long Rifle chambering or the 22 Winchester Magnum. With either one of these rifle chambering’s, chambered in a rifle with both fixed and a 3 X 9 X 40 telescopic sight, I would be able to adequately defend myself and my family against wild animals or human aggressors as well as hunt game animals and birds for survival. Unlike the more powerful centerfire cartridges, in the shotgun, rifle, or pistol cartridge line-up, a 22 caliber hollow point or soft nose cartridge possesses sufficient power, within its range limitations, to dispatch small game animals such as rabbits and squirrels but it can also dispatch larger game animals such as deer and hogs with a well placed shot. In addition to mammals, the venerable 22 caliber cartridges performs an excellent job on game birds such as grouse, quail, turkeys, ducks and geese without excessive meat destruction when compared to the shotgun, high powered rifle or centerfire pistol cartridges. Bear in mind, under normal conditions it’s illegal to take certain game animals and birds with a 22 rimfire rifle. However, this article refers to a collapse of society under catastrophic conditions! With either the 22 Long Rifle or 22 Winchester Magnum cartridge, thousands of rounds of bulk ammunition can be purchased at nominal prices and stored compared to the high costs and bulk associated with shotgun, centerfire rifle, or pistol ammunition. Furthermore, the user can put a hundred rounds of 22 ammunition in a jacket pocket and the weight is negligible. With the 22 Long Rifle Cartridge I would limit my shots to 75 yards or less and with the 22 Winchester Magnum my shots could easily be extended to 100 yards and beyond. With a take-down model 22 caliber rifle, the entire survival tool can be disassembled and placed in a back pack for easy transport along with an adequate supply of ammunition. If adequate records were readily available, it would probably be safe to say the 22 Long Rifle and the 22 Winchester Magnum cartridges have dispatched more game animals on the North American continent than any other calibers. “UNTIL NEXT TIME, KEEP EM BETWEEN THE BRIDLE”
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K-9 Training 101, Part 4
By Richard E. “Rick” Dennis CPP Freelance Journalist & Author Copyright 2024 All-rights Reserved May 4, 2024 DO’s and Don’ts of K-9 Training In K-9 training observations, the three most-often reoccurring mistakes, I witness are: 1)Starting a young dog to soon and expecting too much out of the young pup, 2) using abusive tactics to “force-train” a dog, at any age, but especially during its early developmental stage, instead of using patience and repetitive common sense training practices throughout the training regime, 3) not spending enough quality time with the K-9 prior to initiating training, to gain the love, respect, confidence, and trust of the K-9 companion. Starting a K-9 To Soon The novice trainer should learn, a K-9’s top intelligence level, at maturity, is comparable to that of a five or six year old human child. Therefore, before the novice trainer should begin attempting to train his or her new K-9 companion the key elements to successful training is “Patience, Repetition, and Praise.” As the “old adage,” in animal training goes, “If you punish an animal every time it does something wrong, it will quit trying to do it right!” The correct philosophy to use when training an animal, whether a dog a horse, or any animal or bird is to turn a negative into a positive. More specifically, if the novice trainer is trying teach the K-9 to walk beside, him or her, and the K-9 keeps bolting ahead the trainer should stop the training exercise, bring the K-9 back to the trainer, and repeat the process over and over, as many times as it takes, for the K-9 to understand, the running off isn’t the correct behavior, but the walking beside the trainer is. Training an animal is a game of patience. If you don’t have the patience don’t undertake the training process. Be completely honest with yourself. Using Abusive Training Tactics Never ever use abusive training tactics with your K-9. This illogical behavior only serves to instill fear and distrust, in the K-9, towards the K-9’s owner instead of respect, confidence, trust, and love. The former will completely ruin a good K-9, while the latter will produce a willing working partner for the rest of its life. Therefore, NEVER: Strike, Hit, Kick, Slap, or Punch your K-9 or act aggressive, in any manner, towards the K-9 when it’s doing something wrong. Instead show the K-9 what is right! These illogical training tactics only serve to instill fear in a K-9 and teaches the abused K-9 to be rebellious and cower as well as in some instances, depending on the breed, these abusive tactics, “only serve,” to make the K-9 aggressive. Example: “As another old training adage goes, “you can take the most docile K-9 in the world and put it in a corner. If every time the owner passes the K-9, he or she kicks it, one day the abused K-9 will come out of the corner and eat the owner up.” The K-9 will get the blame, but the owner’s at fault, and the K-9 will usually be euthanized.” Using Shock Collars Over the course of my fifty four (54) years as a professional K-9 trainer, I’ve trained a myriad K-9’s, for diverse assignments, e.g., Police K-9’s for general duty police work to include, but not limited to, tracking, bite work, search and rescue, criminal apprehension, crowd control, narcotics. and explosive detection. It’s also been my pleasure to train sporting dogs. More specifically, retrievers for waterfowl hunting and birds dogs for upland hunting. During my tenure, I’v e never employed the use of a shock collar in my training regiment. Oh I’m sure there’s some logic to this training methodology, but I’ve never realized the need for it. Not Spending Enough Quality Time With The K-9 Through time and memory, dogs were bred to be mans best friend. Whether that K-9 friend’s purpose is law enforcement or war time applications, guarding a flock of sheep or a persons property and assets, or whether the K-9 was bred for sporting purposes, i.e., a hunting companion, pulling a cart, or a general everyday companion. Over the course of time, the faithful K-9, has done it all. It’s also been said, “that no matter how your day is going or what mood your in, the K-9 is always happy to see it’s owner.” Now that’s true love. Therefore, doesn’t the faithful K-9 deserve the same type of love and devotion in return? Of course they do! The sole purpose of this quality time, spent together, is to form a lifelong bond between the owner and the K-9. As with any relationship, without love, trust, and devotion the relationship doesn’t really exist! One of the questions I’m most often asked, is: “Do I allow my K-9 companions to sleep in the bed with me?” My answers are simple. “If I’m In bed by myself, the answer is yes.” “If I’m in bed with a female companion, the answer is no.” However, when I’m with a female companion, in mixed companyI do teach the K-9 to sleep on the floor, by the bed on a dog bed or pallet. One way or the other, the K-9 is always in the bedroom with me where it belongs.” “Until Next Time, Keep Em Between The Bridle! K-9 Training 101, Part 3
By Richard E. “Rick” Dennis CPP May 1, 2024, Copyright 2024, All Rights Reserved Physical Fitness In the last chapter, I delineated the necessary equipment to train your K-9. In this chapter, I’ll discuss preparing your K-9 and yourself for the rigors required in the training of your K-9. Training your K-9 requires physical exertion and it also requires the K-9 and yourself to be in as good as physical condition as possible. Therefore, pre-training requires pre-preparation. To prepare, for training your K-9, its imperative for your K-9 and yourself to have a medical physical to detect any abnormalities, either of you have, which could be detrimental to, not only, your health but the health and well being of the K-9, as well. As previously mentioned, training your K-9 requires physical exertion and mile after mile of walking. If either, you or your K-9, are suffering from a physical disability such as: Heart, Lung, or physical abnormality, i.e., handicap, it will impede your training progress. During training, the required physical exertion will amplify a debilitating physical abnormality. However, depending on the exact type of debilitating illness or physicals issues, some can be worked around and some can’t. Example: If your K-9 has never had an X-ray performed on it’s hips and the result is, your K-9 is suffering from hip dysplasia, meaning there’s a separation between the ball socket and the joint in the hip, this could disqualify your K-9 from any training whatsoever. Hip dysplasia is normal rated, from 1 through 5, by a licensed veterinarian. Some cases of hip dysplasia can be treated and depending on the degree of dysplasia, some can’t. In K-9 anatomy, a more accurate explanation of K-9 hip dysplasia is: Hip dysplasia is a deformity of the hip that occurs during growth. The hip joint is a ball and socket joint. During growth, both the ball (the head of the femur, or thighbone) and the socket in the pelvis (acetabulum) must grow at equal rates. In hip dysplasia, this uniform growth during puppyhood does not occur. Therefore, before starting, it’s imperative for both, the trainer and the K-9 to have a physical exam to determine, whether or not, their healthy enough to withstand the rigors of physical fitness training. Preparation for Training If, after the physical examinations it’s determined, both the trainer and K-9 can begin training, I suggest the following daily training regimen: Each day, the trainer and K-9 should begin walking to tone their muscles and build-up their stamina, by walking, daily during the coolest part of the day. At first, walk short distances and increase the distance, when and only when, both the trainer and K-9 are capable completing the preceding distance with ease. Slowly build up your distance and stamina until the trainer and K-9 can walk one mile at a moderate pace. This preparation time period should be performed at least six (6) weeks prior to engaging in the rigors of actual training exercises. In the end, both the trainer and K-9, should be in sufficient physical condition to begin the rigors without fear of injury to the trainer or the K-9. “Until Next Time, Keep Em Between The Bridle” K-9 TRAINING 1O1, PART 2 By Richard E. “Rick” Dennis Freelance Author and Journalist March 26, 2024 © 2024 All Rights Reserved REQUIRED EQUIPMENT As a Certified Police K-9 training Instructor, I used less than 5 pieces of training equipment to train a class of students and the service animals. The two most important pieces of training equipment are: One (1) a heavy-duty leather training leash, approximately six (6) to eight (8) feet in length, with a heavy-duty brass snap swivel on one end and a loop on the other end large enough to fit you hand through. The leather leash is manufactured with two-inch, double sided, heavy-duty harness leather. The brass snap swivel and the hand loop are fastened to each end of the leather leash with brass rivets. Heavy-duty brass rivets are used for strength, durability, and longevity, and: Two (2), a pre-sized heavy-duty training choke chain, of sufficient size, to fit around the K-9’s neck comfortably. The size of the choke chain is dependent on the breed of the K-9 being trained and the size of the K-9’s neck. Since all of our K-9’s was German Shepherd’s, we always kept an ample supply of different size choke chains in our inventory. The third (3rd) item, in our training equipment selection, is a short three (3) foot walking leash constructed of the same material as the primary training leash hereinabove. This short walking leash is issued to each officer, on graduation day, at the end of training. The shorter version was used to transport the K-9 from the holding area to the square car or while walking the animal. The primary use of the walking leash is for the officer to transport the K-9 from the kennel to his or her cruiser and vice versa at the beginning and end of each shift of duty. TRAINING EQUIPMENT PURPOSE The six (6) to eight (8) foot training leash is a multi-faceted piece of training equipment, is the most versatile. During training, this leash will be used to teach the K-9 the basic commands: Heel, sit, stay, come, and down. The heavy-duty training choke chain is used to train the K-9 using the psychological training philosophy of the renowned psychologist, BF Skinner. Dr. Skinner developed the behavioral concept: Operant conditioning, sometimes called instrumental conditioning or conditioning, is a method of learning that uses rewards and punishment to modify behavior. Through operant conditioning, behavior that is rewarded is likely to be repeated, while behavior that is punished is prone to happen less or more specifically, “Conditioned Response.” This same concept can be used to teach humans as well as animals, whether that animal is a horse, cat, or dog, etc. As previously stated, the three (3) foot walking leash is used to transport the Police K-9 from the housing area to the police cruiser and back to the housing area at the beginning and end of each tour of duty. The primary purpose of this short leash is for the handler to maintain absolute control of the animal at all times as an added safety precaution. The same can be said of the civilian K-9 owner who's walking down the street with their pet, or the animal is being transported to a location for a specific purpose, e.g., the Veterinarian. Until Next Time, Keep Em Between the Bridle! A
THE BUSINESS OF RESCUING HORSES
By Richard E. “Rick” Dennis CPP Certified Protection Professional Certified Reined Cow Horse Trainer December 19, 2023 © 2023, All Rights Reserved A HORSE SAVING DICHOTOMY SOUL HORSES LLC SOUL HORSES, LLC is a Beaumont, Texas based sole owned limited liability company; owned by Randi Collier. Outside this central business location, are where Ms. Collier’s rehabilitation centers are located. At each location, a typical day begins, during the mist of the early pre-dawn morning light, with the sounds of feed buckets being filled and the excited whinnying of horses eagerly awaiting the arrival of their morning feed. However, these horses are the lucky ones. They are more fortunate than a myriad other horses in their exact previous predicament, i.e., they were able to escape the horse slaughter pipeline, via, the generous but heart felt money donations of Ms. Collier’s supporters, the dedicated and compassionate actions of their ardent protector, Ms. Collier, and the dedicated actions of Ms. Collier’s associates running the rehabilitation centers. Notwithstanding, all these individuals share one common denominator in the equation of life. Their love of the noble horse. Moreover, it takes more than the love of the horse to embark on this journey. It takes dedication, hard work, compassion, a generous heart, and the tenacity to stay in the endeavor for the long haul. The horse rescue business is a tough business to be in, especially when, in some cases, the odds don’t always work out in favor of the horse. According to Ms. Collier it takes a lot of hard work, hope, love, and prayers to realize a successful outcome. In most cases, this is true. However, with kill pen horses some are very malnourished, some are extremely sick, from associating with horses with contagious diseases, while at the kill pen, and some are suffering from extreme neglect and abuse. Therefore, not every horse's outcome outside the kill pen results in a Cinderella outcome. Another obstacle to overcome is trust. This is extremely true with horses who come to Soul Horses LLC who have been abused which makes the task of rehabilitation more arduous than others who haven’t suffered from extreme abuse while in the horse slaughter pipeline. Nonetheless, it’s a life Ms. Collier and her associates love, and they feel the risks are worth it. There’s a myriad ways horses enter the horse slaughter pipeline, example: Individuals seeking instant gratification, a Thoroughbred racehorse can’t win at the track, two-year-olds are broken down during training, something as small as a blemish can be the cause, owners die and heirs dispose, people lose their jobs and file for bankruptcy. Whatever the reason, the noble horse has become a disposable commodity. However, there’s individuals in the industry who desire to help the noble horse. One such individual is Randi Collier of Beaumont, Texas and the owner of SOUL HORSES LLC. RANDI COLLIER’S AUTOBIOGRAPHY According to Randi Collier, in her own words: “I was born July 9th in Beaumont, Texas. I began riding lessons at Tyrell Park Stables under the instruction of Pat Sykes at the age of 8. My mother noticed my athleticism and my increasing love of horses and signed me up for lessons. My lessons included equitation and how to take care of the horse including mucking stalls. During equitation lessons, I learned how to jump and take a fall while riding bareback. I found this portion of my training pretty scary, especially because I had nothing to hold onto, but the horse's mane. When I was age 11, I met Jean McFaddin of Plum Nearly Ranch. To this day, I hold her in high regard and my hero. While under her tutelage she nurtured my love of horses and introduced me to my lifelong love, the Arabian Horse. Jean McFaddin, whom I hold in the highest esteem remains one of my heroes to this day. Over-the-years, Ive shown, trained, ridden, and provided riding lessons. All of my life, I was made aware of slaughter bound horses and kill pens. As a child, I was quite fortunate to grow up around people who genuinely loved horses and valued them, much like family. I never dreamed that such a seedy underside of the horse world existed. I remain stunned to this cruelty to this day. With a willingness to help these horses I’ve read and learned everything I could about slaughter bound horses, kill pens (etc). In 2015, with the help of Emily McKinney I rescued my first kill pen horse, a chestnut Arabian mare named Merida from Kaufman Kill Pen. This first horse rescue began a long friendship that would later become a partnership, fueled by our mutual love of horses and the desire to help as many horses bound for the slaughterhouse as possible. An endeavor we still do today. Though I suffer from crippling anxiety and agoraphobia (which worsened with the onslaught of repeated false social media attacks which went on for years and in some instances continues to this day, I found a way to continue doing what I love. SOUL HORSES LLC’S REHAB AND REHOME PROGRAM Unlike other rescue programs that strictly rely on donor money for sustainability, SOUL HORSES LLC’S “REHAB and REHOME” program provides much needed funding to supplement private donations in-order to continually rescue horses and keep the business operational. According to Randi Collier, “While we appreciate any public donations and support, I don’t feel it should be the public’s responsibility to fund my passion and my work, there are enough rescues operating that way and strictly relying on donor funding.” I feel that I’ve designed a better way to help my program and my horses – REHAB and REHOME. Randi Collier quotes “When people see ‘LLC’ and think “Profit,” it’s a bit laughable, especially when you consider the costs of healthy horses, versus rescue horses. Rescue horses are always requiring more attention and services than healthy horses do. One goal is to make these horses WANTED, and to offer safe, healthy, enjoyable horses for people. Another goal is to provide income for the next horse in need. The rehoming of one will give the next two that same chance. The REHAB and REHOME program also provide the rescued horse with the opportunity to be loved again, or perhaps loved for the first time.” Notwithstanding, those rescues, that rescue horses to become yard ornaments and strictly rely on donor funding for sustainability, in all probability won’t and usually doesn’t work out very well. On the other hand, Randi Collier’s REHAB and REHOME program is designed to revitalize a horse and return it to usable status. Essentially, the program works by rescuing a horse, sending it to a rehabilitation facility where it receives required and necessary veterinarian care, food, and the horse is placed with a trainer. The trainer introduces the rescue to a daily exercise regimen, re- reconditioned the horse, and eventually makes the horse suitable for the general public to ride and enjoy. Once this revitalization process is over the rescue horse is offered for sale on the open market as a usable commodity. In essence, the rescue horse is actually paying for itself while at the same time supplying SOUL HORSES LLC with sustainable income to supplement private donations in-order to maintain business operating costs and overhead. Furthermore, as Randi Collier previously stated, the funds provided by the rehoming process also serves to rescue other horses trapped in the horse slaughter pipeline. MEETING RANDI COLLIER – DESTINY OR FATE A number of years ago, I first met Randi Collier under the most bizarre and peculiar circumstances. More specifically, a group of online individuals including a lawyer wanted to hire me to, in their words, ruin Randi Collier. With an 18-year background in drug enforcement and law enforcement my criminal investigative mind wondered why this group of women wanted to hire me for this job. Professionally, I’m a Risk Manager and Analyst specializing in Threat Vulnerability and Risk Assessment, so the natural occurrence was to request documents from the accusers, for analysis, to substantiate the accusers claims. However, pursuant to analyzing the submitted documents, legitimacy was unattainable. Therefore, I decided to contact Randi Collier directly. For the record, the initial contact was comical to say the least! Being the up-front and straight to the point type of guy that I am, I decided to broach the subject and ask Randi Collier, point-blank, why someone would want to ruin her. After the shock and surprise subsided, Randi Collier and I had a professional business conversation. At the end of the conversation Randi Collier asked me if I would work for her and conduct a Risk Analysis of her business operation, which I agreed to perform. At the end of the analysis, I concluded Randi Collier’s business operation was legitimate, legal in every respect, but required some minor tweaking. A Risk Report was written and submitted to Randi Collier, including the suggested changes which she made, and the rest is history so-to-speak. One would think, this saga would end here but it doesn’t! A year or so later, the same group of disgruntled women made another run at Randi Collier. However, the end result would be quite different. Example: Again, Randi Collier hired me to work for her and perform the required Risk Management services. Essentially, the antagonists became the pursued and resulted in criminal complaints being filed in the State of Texas Department of Public Safety, with the Texas Rangers, and the Attorney General. Criminal complaints were also filed with the Department of Justice in the Western District of Louisiana, and the Louisiana Attorney General's office. Thereafter, it didn’t work out very well for the pursuers! To my knowledge, no one in the horse rescue business has been more victimized, maligned, slandered, and interviewed more, by law enforcement agencies, than Randi Collier. The law enforcement agencies included, but are not limited to, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the State of Texas, and law enforcement agencies in Louisiana. For the record, all of the law enforcement interviews were prompted by false and erroneous information supplied by disgruntled internet trolls most of which used false identities while hiding behind computer screens. However, on all occasions, Randi Collier has emerged unscathed, and the provided false information proven to be exactly what it is, fabricated lies. Today, Randi Collier is still doing what shes always loved, i.e., rescuing the noble horse, from the horse slaughter pipeline and a lot of equine lives are much better off than they were before coming in contact with Randi Collier. It’s not often that I become involved in my client's business by recommending them to the general public, but in Randi Collier’s case I can wholeheartedly without hesitation or reservation recommend SOUL HORSES, LLC and Randi Collier as a legitimate, honest, and legal business in the horse industry and one I would do business with! UNTIL NEXT TIME, KEEP EM BETWEEN THE BRIDLE! K-9 TRAINING 1O1.
By Richard E. “Rick” Dennis CPP Certified Police K-9 Instructor/Trainer Freelance Writer & Author November 23, 2023 © 2023 IN THE BEGINNING Researchers agree, the dog, Canis Familiaris, is a direct descendant of the gray wolf, Canis Lupus: In other words, dogs as we know them, are domesticated wolves. However, years of, domestication and extensive breeding, changed the gray wolf into the dog we know today. The result is an animal that’s smaller in stature, with shorter muzzles, and smaller teeth. Moreover, the old adage, “Dogs Are a Mans Best Friend,” rings just as true today, as it did yesterday. Through time and memorial dogs (Canis Lupus Familiaris) has been and continues to be a willing partner to mankind and an integral part of our societal structure. From family pets to working dogs. Canis Lupus Familiaris, in any breed, shape, or form has proven they can do it all and this embodiment is interwoven into the very fabric of our lives. DOGS AND HUMANS – AN ANCIENT PARTNERSHIP In an article, produced by the Morris Animal Foundation, the article states: “Most researchers who study casting genetics agree that dogs are really domesticated wolves – after all their scientific name is Canis Lupus Familiaris. But the exact time that the relationship between wolves and humans turned from distrust and fear to a mutually beneficial partnership is disputed. A large body of research suggests that dogs were domesticated between 12,500 and 15,000 years ago, but recent genetic studies suggest that domestication might have taken place even earlier. Some researchers believe dogs might have commingled with humans as early as 130,000 years ago, long before our human ancestors settled into agricultural communities.” BEGINNING OF SELECTIVE BREEDING Selective breeding has occurred for thousands of years in numerous domesticated species, not just dogs. In our canine friends, breeding for specific behavioral traits, as opposed to confirmation occurred first. However, where and when certain types of dogs originated is still uncertain. THE VICTORIAN EXPLOSION Most dog breeds we recognize today were developed in the last 150 years, spurred by what’s become known as the Victorian Explosion. During this time in Great Britain, dog breeding intensified and expanded, resulting in many of our most recognizable breeds of dogs. DOG BREEDS Today, there are approximately 400 dog breeds in the world. Alone, in the United States, the American Kennel Club register’s 200 breeds. The 7 major dog breed categories in the USA are: Working, Herding, Hound, Sporting, Non-sporting, Terrier, and Toy. Dogs continue to be a willing parter to mankind, whether it's in a law enforcement patrol car, war zone, as a companion dog, guarding assets, in a hunting field, a quide dog for the blind as well as working farm animals, such as Sheep and Cattle herding. TRAINABILITY As a former Police K-9 Instructor/Trainer, it's my professional opinion: Any dog can be trained! However, a specific dog breed is more suitable over another, especially when the owner is looking for a dog to perform a specific task. In law enforcement, we found the German Shepherd to be the ideal K-9 for general duty police applications, i.e., building searching, tracking, crowd control, criminal apprehension, or illegal drug and explosive detection. Dual trained Police K-9’s are still used extensively today. When I left law enforcement in 1988 and entered the private security sector, I found the Labrador Retriever to be the ideal K-9 for private sector drug detection. As a general rule, animals are trained using Operate Conditioning, sometimes referred to as instrumental conditioning. This is a method of learning that employs rewards and punishments for behavior and a consequence (negative or positive) for that behavior. For example, when lab rats press a lever when a green light is on, they receive a food pellet as a reward. When they push the lever when the red light is on, they receive a mild electric shock. As a result, they learn to press the lever when the positive green light is on and avoid the negative punishment or the red light. DOG BREED SELECTION Notwithstanding, never select a specific breed of dog because of its cuteness as a puppy. All puppies are cute, rather select a specific dog breed based on your individual requirements. Furthermore, the most accurate method of selecting the right breed of dog is to perform research and decide which dog breed is best for you. Most often, the mishaps with dogs occur when an owner selects the wrong dog for the task. In other words, don’t pick a specific breed of dog with a known history of aggressiveness, when in-fact, the dog is being purchased for a family with small children. A rule of thumb to remember: “An untrained aggressive dog, is more dangerous than a trained one!” Another keynote, in the dog selection process, is not to select a dog that requires a lot of daily exercise because it's in the sporting or working dog class, e.g., a Jack Russel Terrier, Labrador Retriever, or Doberman Pinscher class of dogs when the animal is to reside in an apartment. This group of dogs require a daily exercise regimen to keep them occupied and their energy level suppressed. Lastly, select a dog that’s suitable for the climate you live in. Example: Never select a dog with a thick coat of hair that’s normally suitable for an extremely cold weather climate and attempt to raise and house them in a hot and humid climate such as, the southern hemisphere of the United States. “Until Next Time, Keep Em Between the Bridle!” THE IDEAL CONCEALED CARRY GUN
By Richard E. “Rick” Dennis CPP Freelance Journalist November 12, 2023 © All Rights Reserved AND CALIBER Recently, I reviewed an online video provided by the USCCA, U.S. Concealed Carry Association, where the moderator was providing information to the audience pertaining to the ideal concealed carry handgun and caliber. As a former Army Veteran, during the Vietnam War as well as an 18-year Drug Enforcement Agent and Law Enforcement Professional, with many years of pistol combat experience, I disagree with a myriad of his expressed viewpoints, example: In the video, the moderator limits the self-defense caliber choices to 9mm, 40 S&W, and 45 ACP, the number of rounds in the magazine capacity to 10 plus one in the chamber, and the firearms to Tier 1 and Tier 2 choices. Tier 1 firearms are ones designed and designated for law enforcement and military use. Using these criteria as a basis, the moderator essentially eliminates revolvers and other excellent pistol caliber choices from the concealed carry list. First and foremost, Tier 1-gun choices, i.e., guns designed and designated with the letters (LE) or for law enforcement and the U.S. Military aren’t available to the general public. More specifically, a gun manufacturer that designs and manufacturers a specific firearm model for use; both for the general public, law enforcement, and the U.S. Military have two models. More specifically, one for the general public and one for law enforcement and the U.S. Military. Same model, same gun design, but setup and tuning are completely differently at the factory. Furthermore, in order for an individual to purchase a Tier 1 firearm setup and tuned for law enforcement and the U.S. Military that individual must have the background and credentials to do so. It’s referred to as a Qualified Professional Program. Still another point of contention, with the moderator, is his advocacy of single action semi-automatics as a suitable concealed handgun for general public concealed carry use. Again, I disagree! For the record, semi-automatics are designed in three distinct categories: Single Action, requiring the hammer to be cocked prior to firing, double action which requires a single pull of the trigger and can be designed with an external or internal hammer, and an internal striker firing mechanism. The single action design, or 1911 design so-to-speak, becomes problematic to the user in three ways, e.g., 1) either the firearm is carried cocked and locked, meaning the hammer is cocked in the firing position with a round in the chamber and the safety engaged to prevent accidental firing, 2) the hammer is down with a round in the chamber requiring the firearms hammer to be cocked prior to firing, or 3) the firearm is carried with an empty chamber requiring a slide rack in order to load a round in the chamber from the magazine. Either way, these components slow the response time of the shooter in a gun fight. There are just too many steps for the average shooter to remember when faced with an actual stressful gun fight and a life-or-death situation. Overall, the single action type is an excellent firearm but better left to the professionals. WHAT IS THE IDEAL CONCEALED CARRY HANDGUN? For the last 54-years, I’ve made a living with a firearm beginning in 1969 in the U.S. Army, during the Vietnam War, on through my 18-year tenure in Drug Enforcement and Law Enforcement, until today as a Certified Protection Profession (CPP) in private industry. My background and expertise illustrates: I have a good idea of what works and what to avoid! In the Army, I was issued two firearms: An M14 and an M16. Both select fire assault rifles. In law enforcement I was restricted to carrying a six-shot revolver; Colt or Smith & Wesson, chambered with 38 Special Police Loads, and a 5-shot 12-gauge pump shotgun; (Ithaca or Remington), shooting slugs, number 4 bird shot, or double ought (00) buck shot. I carried a six-shot Model 19 Smith & Wesson Combat Magnum revolver with speed loaders and never felt under gunned. Towards the end of my law enforcement career, we were allowed to carry a double action, 15-shot, 9mm semi-auto loaded with 125 grain hollow point projectiles (bullets). However, this policy change took place in the mid to late 1980’s. Our back-up firearms consisted of a 5-shot, 2-inch 38 Special Revolver or a 380 ACP double action semi-auto pistol. I carried both a Smith & Wesson Chief Model 38 Special and a Walther PPK chambered in 380 ACP. In my opinion, the “IDEAL CONCEALED CARRY HANDGUN FOR A USER IS:” One of high manufacturing quality, i.e., the best one an individual can afford to purchase, one that fits the user's hand, the one the shooter is the most comfortable carrying and shooting, and the one the shooter is the most accurate with. After all, in a self-defense situation any handgun type and caliber are better than a sharp stick! WHAT IS THE IDEAL HANDGUN SELF-DEFENSE CALIBER? Again, and in my opinion, after 54 years of service, the ideal handgun caliber for self-defense is the one the shooter is the most comfortable shooting and the caliber the shooter is the most accurate with. Notwithstanding, it really doesn’t matter what caliber the shooter is using, in a self-defense scenario, if the shooter can’t reliably put accurate rounds on target, i.e., in the vital kill zone area, of an attacker, then the caliber choice is a moot point. In the USCCA video the moderator limits the calibers to 9MM, 40 S&W, and 45 ACP thus eliminating established and reliable handgun calibers outside this criterion including established and proven combat handgun calibers like the 380 ACP, 38 Special, 357 Magnum, and 41 Magnum. The moderator also specifies a criterion of at least 10 rounds in the magazine and one in the chamber. Notwithstanding, the amount of rounds a person is carrying is no substitute for accurate shooting and certainly doesn’t guarantee an individual a hit on target, no matter how many rounds an individual is carrying while using the wrong handgun type and caliber. Therefore, another moot point! For the record, the diminutive 22 Long Rifle Rimfire cartridge has probably killed more of anything and everything than any other caliber. In fact, and to demonstrate its effectiveness, my partner was killed with a 22-caliber long rifle hollow point while serving a search warrant for illegal drugs. My partner was shot in the back with a 22 Rifle while walking down the hall of a shotgun style house. Another case in point, another partner was shot in the back with a 357 Magnum pistol while serving a search warrant for illegal drugs. He was also killed in the line of duty. Two different cartridges, same result. Case closed! One of the main reasons the 22 Long Rifle caliber isn’t recommended for regular self-defense carry is due to the fact: The cartridge’s powder ignition system is located in the rim of the cartridge instead of inside a sealed metallic primer in the center of the cartridge. Alone, this rim fire feature could cause the cartridge to miss fire when a shooter needs it the most. My advice to anyone carrying a 22 Long Rifle caliber for self- defense is to change your ammunition often to lessen the odds of a misfire. UNRAVELING THE ONE SHOT KNOCK DOWN MISCONCEPTION Ammunition Manufacturers strive to design a projectile (bullet), used for self-defense, to impart as much terminal damage to the human torso as possible. In order to accomplish this theory most ammunition manufactures use hollow point projectiles (bullets). The hollow point is designed to rapidly open up upon impact, expand, and create a hydrostatic shockwave within the human torso. It’s the hydrostatic shockwave combined with the projectiles (bullets) mushrooming effects which causes organ and tissue damage. However, the only way to effectively achieve the one shot knock down theory is to effectuate a brain or spine shot thus disrupting the human body’s motor sensors therefore preventing the human body from operating normally. Either one of these two shots will immediately incapacitate a human being thus achieving the one shot knock down. However, it's not the diameter of the projectile (bullet) causing total incapacitation, its shot placement. Using these two specific areas as a focal point of aim, the shooter will accomplish the same effect whether the bullet is a 22 Long Rifle or a 44 Magnum. Therefore, and in my opinion, in a gun fight, accurate shot placement is more important than bullet caliber and a high-capacity magazine that counts in a gun fight. A FAMILY OF FIREARMS In my family, when it comes down to self-defense, firearms, and cartridge selection were the same in some respects and different in others. The only constant is the 9MM cartridge. Example: I opt for a 9MM Smith & Wesson M 2.0 Compact, with a 3.6-inch barrel, HD Night Sights, and a 17 round magazine capacity. Eva opts for a Glock 43 X 9MM with a 10 round magazine capacity. Emma opts for the Walther PPQ with a magazine capacity of 10, 15, and 17 rounds. Alex opts for the Sig 320 with a magazine capacity of 15 rounds. Overall, we take our personal well being seriously and have our individual choices in the ideal concealed carry firearms. UNTIL NEXT TIME, KEEP EM BETWEEN THE BRIDLE! ANATOMY OF A GUN FIGHT
By Richard E. “Rick” Dennis CPP Freelance Writer and Author March 23, 2023 © 2023 – All Rights Reserved THE USA IS A DANGEROUS PLACE With every daily news cast, news paper headline as well as a myriad social media postings - rising crime in the USA is illustrated as an ever increasing reality and a major concern of American citizens. Violent crimes, such as: Rape, Robbery, Murder, Car Jacking, Home Invasions, Aggravated Assaults, and Aggravated Burglaries are up. FAR LEFT, LIBERAL WOKE AGENDA CONTRIBUTES TO RISING VIOLENT CRIME In recent years, the USA has witnessed far left Liberal Democratic Politicians turning a blind eye to escalating criminal activities and embracing the WOKE agenda. In some instances, far left leaning politicians are actually encouraging others to adopt and follow this unorthodox WOKE ideology. In turn, the WOKE agenda is producing a rapid rise in violent crime. Another contributor to rising violent crime, is: The liberal WOKE news media by wrongly classifying violent crime, e.g., riots, looting, ransacking private businesses, and burning cities as peaceful protests or they opt to completely ignore the criminal acts altogether. The purpose of this illusionary news broadcast is to present a specific image of violent crime, without illustrating the actual truth in the matter in order to sway public opinion. Anyone who tries to stop the rioting or injures another in self-defense, during a riot, is portrayed by the news media as the aggressor and not the victim. The actions of the looters themselves are justified by the liberal news media as being entitled to another’s assets. A CORRUPT JUDICIAL SYSTEM CONTRIBUTES TO RISING VIOLENT CRIME Financially backed George Soros elected District Attorneys have opted to skirt existing laws by reducing Felony arrests to Misdemeanors and introducing cashless bail systems in the name of equity and criminal justice reform. In essence, these deplorable “SMOKE AND MIRROR” actions have resulted in violent criminals becoming a revolving door of the judicial system, instead of becoming a permanent resident of a penal institution to protect society from their criminal behavior. This insane ideology results in criminals being released as soon as their arrested; allowing criminals to commit other crimes, soon after their release producing more victims. Equally, the United States Department of Justice and the FBI have been weaponized and the far left Democrats have an open border policy resulting in the influx of millions of unchecked illegal aliens into the USA as well as a saturation of illegal drugs at our Souther borders. DEFUND THE POLICE MOVEMENT Another contributor to rising violent crime in America, is the liberal lefts not-so-brilliant WOKE strategy, of Defunding the Police Movement. This dangerous ideology is weakening our Police Departments; nationwide, by reducing police departments operating budgets thus reducing manpower critical to enforcing existing laws, incarcerating criminals, and reducing Police Officers response time to those in need of emergency services. First and foremost, law enforcement is the barrier that stands between chaos, mayhem, and a civilized peaceful society. Proponents of the Defunding The Police Movement state: Police forces are reckless and a burden to society. In fact and reality, the culprit for re-shaping our police departments today is a result of the United States Department of Justice forcing Police Departments to lower their hiring standards in the name of equity, i.e., in order to incorporate individuals, into law enforcement, who under previous hiring standards would be ineligible. AMERICAN CITIZENS RESPONSE TO RISING CRIME – FIREARMS PURCHASES In response to the escalating crime in the USA, citizens have opted to exercise their 2nd Amendment rights to the Constitution of the USA, by purchasing firearms and arming themselves, for the protection of life, family, and property. More specifically, the 2nd Amendment states: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” Never before, in the history of the United States of America, have more firearms been sold as they have today. As more Americans become fearful and cognizant of the fact: “Law Enforcement can no longer be relied upon to protect them, their loved ones, and their property against the out-of-control violent criminal element, the more firearms will be purchased and carried for self defense. Essentially, it’s the law of physics, I.e., “For every action, there’s an equal and opposite reaction!” SHOOT OR DON’T SHOOT After legally purchasing a handgun, the next step for the armed citizen is to seek a licensed self- defense handgun instructor and apply for a concealed carry license, in their state of residency. Make sure the instructor you pick is well versed on handgun laws, e.g., the “Castle Doctrine” and “Stand You Ground Laws” in your state of residency. Each state is different and their handgun laws and concealed carry permit requirements are different, as well. Your instruction should include a course pertaining to when you can legally use your handgun to protect your life and the life of your loved ones and when you can’t. HANDGUN SAFETY AND STORAGE Your handgun course should also include a course in handgun safety and storage. The rule of thumb in firearms safety is to treat all firearms as if they were loaded. Never point a firearm at anyone unless you intend to shoot that individual in self defense. FIREARM AND CALIBER OF CHOICE In choosing a firearm for self defense, it’s really up to the each individual which firearm he or she chooses to carry. Prior to purchase, I recommend the prospective buyer finding a gun range that rents revolvers and semi-auto pistols and try them until you find one you like. The same applies to calibers. Each caliber relates to the amount of felt recoil an individuaL feels in the hand when the weapon is fired. Find a caliber you get along with. I recommend a minimum of 10 rounds in the magazine and 1 in the chamber as a minimum. This eliminates most revolvers. Remember, criminals don’t legally purchase their firearms, they steal them and opt for high capacity magazines containing 15 rounds or more. PREPARATION FOR A GUN FIGHT As a Veteran of the United States Army, during the Vietnam War, and 18 years after as a Law Enforcement Professional and Drug Enforcement Agent whose been in more gunfights than I can remember off the top of my head, I assure you the only preparation for a gun fight your going to have is relying on your natural instinctive shooting training you received prior to it happening. From start to finish, gunfights are instantaneous, up close and personal, e.g., 9 to 15 feet, and measured in milliseconds, i.e., in the blink of an eye – time wise! A gunfight is an unpredictable occurrence and happens when you least expect it to. Therefore, your combat shooting training, familiarity with your firearm, drawing, shooting, reloading techniques, and instinctive shooting capabilities are the only barriers standing in the way between you and life and death. There are no second place winners in a gun fight. Only one winner and one loser! The winner is determined by who can draw their weapon the fastest and put the most accurate rounds on target in vital areas of the human anatomy first, are usually the determining factors that predicts the winner and the loser. GUNSIGHTS, YOU TUBE SENSATIONS, RELOADING, SHOOT AND MOVE In a gun fight, pistol or revolver sights are totally useless. They may be fine for shooting stationary targets with the You Tube sensations but they are virtually useless in a close quarter gunfight. The main perspective to remember about weapons are: Pistol, Revolvers, and Shotguns are pointed and fired during combat. Riles are aimed and fired. The armed citizen should practice just picking up or drawing their weapon of choice, bringing it up to chest or eye level, and pointing and firing it at a stationary target, while using the center mass area of a target as the reference point. Essentially, this is the same technique you’ll be using in a self-defense gun fight, except when the intended target is a couple of feet away then you’ll be drawing and firing from your hip. In a emergency situation or faced with life or death, a persons adrenaline starts to flow, the breathing quickens and becomes rapid, and the heart is pounding. While all of this is happening, and an armed aggressor is shooting hot lead at you, when do you think your going to have time to use your gun sights? You won’t! Therefore, practice instinctive shooting, i.e., hand to eye coordination as much as possible during your practice time at the range. Another practice the armed citizen should exercise, is the shoot and move technique instead of shooting and remaining in a stationary position while firing your weapon. Shoot and move firing reduces the chances of an armed aggressor zeroing in on your vital areas or hitting you at all. This training technique will save your life. The final preparation for the armed citizen, is practicing to reload an empty cylinder in case of a revolver and clearing a jam, or reloading a new magazine in the case of a semi-auto pistol. The armed citizen should be so familiar with reloading their weapon without looking at it that their eyes never leave the intended target. In the blink of an eye an aggressor can move out of your line-of-sight and take up a new position that quite possibly makes the armed aggressors advantage point better than yours. “UNTIL NEXT TIME, KEEP EM BETWEEN THE BRIDLE!” SKIN-ROTTING DRUG “TRANQ”
By Richard E. “Rick” Dennis CPP February 22, 2022 Freelance Writer and Author © February 22, 2022 – All Rights Reserved THERE’S A NEW DRUG IN TOWN-AND IT HAS DEADLY CONSEQUENCES Trough “Time and Memorial” the illegal drug trade; has been and continues to be, an ever changing pathway to misery and death. Illegal drug manufacturers are continuously developing drugs with add on substances to enhance the effect of the illegal drug. More often times, than not the add on also makes the original illegal drug such as Heroin and Fentanyl – more potent and lethal. Example: Today, there’s a new add-on substance on-the-market. In an article, by the NEW YORK POST, the new drug; “XYLAZINE,” also known as “TRANQ,” “tranq dope” and “zombie drug” — is wreaking havoc in major cities across the country with its devastating effects: It can literally rot the user’s skin. Xylazine causes sedative-like symptoms, such as excessive sleepiness and respiratory depression, as well as raw wounds that can become severe and spread rapidly with repeated exposure. The crusty ulcerations, which can become dead skin called eschar, can result in amputation if left untreated. The substance, which seemed to first appear in Philadelphia before migrating west to San Francisco and Los Angeles, was used for cutting heroin, but, most recently, it has been discovered in fentanyl and other illicit drugs. While approved by the Food and Drug Administration for veterinary use, xylazine, a non-opioid, is not safe for humans, and those who overdose on the drug do not respond to naloxone, or Narcan, the most common overdose reversal treatment. Last month, one Philly user suddenly developed xylazine-specific wounds near her opioid injection sites. “I’d wake up in the morning crying because my arms were dying,” Tracey McCann, 39, told the New York Times. But “It’s too late for Philly,” Shawn Westfahl, an outreach worker with Prevention Point Philadelphia, told the Times. “Philly’s supply is saturated. If other places around the country have a choice to avoid it, they need to hear our story.” People with substance use disorders who get hooked on the zombifying drug believe the emerging substance killed “any kind of joy” that came with getting high. “Tranq is basically zombifying people’s bodies,” Sam, 28, told Sky News. “Until nine months ago, I never had wounds. Now, there are holes in my legs and feet.” The worrying “tranq” trend comes as the New York City Department of Health reported that 2,668 New Yorkers died of overdoses in 2021. Experts warn that xylazine could worsen the ongoing drug epidemic. Xylazine was found in 90% of drug samples tested in Philadelphia in 2021. Homeless people gather (above) in Kensington. Dr. Gary Tsai, the director of substance abuse prevention and control with the LA County Department of Public Health, believes the drug’s prevalence “would increase deaths from overdoses.” “The main concern is we’re already amid the worst overdose crisis in history, nationally and locally,” Tsai told the Los Angeles Times. According to a 2022 report, XYLAZINE has been discovered in 36 states. In New York City alone, the drug was found in 25% of samples, per the Times. Earlier this month, the San Francisco Department of Health announced that low levels of xylazine were found in the systems of four people who overdosed, suggesting that the substance can be hidden in drugs unbeknownst to the users. “It’s possible that it’s more out there,” warned Tsai. “Until Next Time, Keep Em Between The Bridle” AMERICA’S INEFFECTIVE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, A PARADOX
By Richard E. “Rick” Dennis CPP Freelance Writer and Author December 20, 2022 © All Rights Reserved DRUGS, ALCOHOL, ADDICTION, AND CRIME As a former Drug Enforcement Special Agent and Law Enforcement Professional of 18 years, I witnessed; first hand, the devastating effects drug and alcohol addiction impacts a free society. After all, I was on the first line of defense on the War on Drugs being waged by law enforcement and the Federal Government. As enforcement agents it was our job to investigate, arrest, incarcerate, prosecute, and imprison as many illegal drug manufactures, importers, and distributors as we could. During my journey, I discovered a myriad important facts concerning our efforts in the War on Drugs with one fact standing out as the most important: The United States of America has a dysfunctional and disingenuous judicial system. As one judicial authority once told me, “In the War on Drugs, the courtroom is a hole in the ground drug violators throw money into to keep judges and lawyers in business.” During my 18 year tenure, I also learned other important lessons such as: Our judicial system is to slow and inundated with too many laws to maintain pace with the drug and alcohol offenders being arrested and prosecuted. However, perhaps the most important lesson I learned was: Repeat offenders were slipping through the judicial cracks and were being denied the opportunities for rehabilitation and mental health counseling they deserved in order to break the cycle of drug abuse and addiction. Today, not much has changed in the USA’s War on Drugs. More specifically, drug offenders are being arrested, prosecuted, and imprisoned in record numbers, court rooms are packed with violators, prisons are overcrowded with drug offender inmates, repeat offenders are common place in our society and the courtroom, police officers are still dying in the line of duty as two of my partners did during gun fights, more drugs are being illegally imported in the USA than ever before, the hole in the ground called a court room is still collecting fines, drug addicts aren’t receiving the treatment and mental health services they deserve to break the chain of addiction, and the USA is still losing the War on Drugs. DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE, ADDICTION, AND CRIME The National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics report: 1.6 million Americans including Illegal Aliens are arrested annually for drug related crimes, 80% of all incarcerated prison inmates abuse illegal drugs or alcohol. An estimated 244 thousand Americans are sentenced annually to prison for drug related crimes. Furthermore, 26% of all arrests in America are related to drug offenses. Even though the percentage of drug related arrests are small in comparison to the overall population of the USA, drug related crimes represent the highest category of violent crimes. Example: It’s estimated that as much as 80% of all violent crimes committed by individuals in the USA are drug related. Violent crime categories including: Gun and other weapons violence (assaults), Rape, Robbery, Murder, Car Jacking, and Burglary. However, the reasons for these drug related violent crimes can be broken down into three sub segments or groups as the “Root Cause Contributing Factors.” More specifically: 1) Crimes committed while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. 2) Economic related crimes to support their drug or alcohol addiction. Example: Robbery, Burglary, Theft, Drug Dealing, and Prostitution are the five main crimes committed in order to support drug and alcohol abuse and addiction. 3) System-related crimes are those that result from how drugs are sold and how the criminal justice system deals with drug dealers. These crime categories include: The manufacture, importation, transporting, and distribution (selling) of drugs as well as the violence produced by the illegal drug trade activities such as: Street and Gang Violence as well as Turf Wars among domestic drug dealers and international drug cartels. Notwithstanding, the root causes of addiction are: CHRONIC STRESS, a history of trauma, mental illness and a family history of addiction. Understanding how these can lead to chronic substance abuse and addiction will help an individual in reducing his or her chances of becoming addicted, re-entering a life of crime, and staying out of prison and that hole in the ground called a courtroom. ALCOHOL ABUSE AND ADDICTION The FBI cites drunkenness or public intoxication as a crime, it is labeled a misdemeanor crime in order to prevent the drunk person from disturbing or hurting others. Alcohol related crimes include drunk driving and homicide. Approximately 316,032 Americans are arrested for drunkenness annually, 10,511 deaths annually are attributed to drunk driving, 7,334 homicides annually have alcohol as a contributing factor, and 48% of homicide convicts were drinking before they committed murder. TREATING DRUG ABUSE AND ADDICTION IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM “According to an article appearing in the American Medical Association, despite increasing evidence that addiction is a treatable disease of the brain, most individuals do not receive treatment. Involvement in the criminal justice system often results from illegal drug seeking behavior and participation in illegal activities that reflect, in part, disrupted behavior ensuing from brain changes triggered by repeated drug use. Treating drug involved offenders provides a unique opportunity to decrease substance abuse and reduce associated criminals behavior.” However, while incarcerated the addict may or may not be sentenced to a drug rehabilitation program which, essentially, produces a revolving door effect for offenders missing out on this vital opportunity to break the chains of addiction. Therefore, the offender is paroled from prison and in a matter of time re-enters the illegal drug trade and addiction. In order to win the War on Drugs, in the USA, the judicial system has to revamp its laws and drug offenders need to receive proper mental health. Until this occurs, the wheels of justice will still turn slowly, the majorly of drug offenders will become repeat offenders, and judges and lawyers will have a steady income. LEGAL DRUG ADDICTION AND ABUSE Another contributing factor in the War on Drugs are classified as professional addicts. All on their own, Big Pharma and Physicians are producing a significant number of addicts with their prescribed drugs; especially drugs of the opioid variety or Class II through V drugs, which can be entered into a classification of their own. After all, pharmaceuticals drugs are big business representing billions of dollars in annual revenues. Patients are being prescribed highly addictive drugs and Physicians are being paid by the pharmaceutical companies to prescribe certain drugs, some of which are highly addictive. Will the USA win the War on Drugs, probably not. Simply, there are too many variables in the equation, of Justice, to disrupt the cycle of addiction and crime related drug offenses and not enough drug addicts are receiving the drug treatment and mental health options and services they need, in order to break the cycle of addiction and the crime that goes along with it! “UNTIL NEXT TIME, KEEP EM BETWEEN THE BRIDLE” |
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