James Hankins Jr has been accused of a white collar financial crime of theft by deception. His public defender has applied for Recovery Court (formerly known as Drug Court). James is a perfect candidate for Recovery Court. James has been incarcerated previously. Unchecked alcoholism doesn’t just go away. James is an alcoholic. A fact that he has admitted to. A disease which he is battling head on. James attends meetings daily, he has a sponsor, he is doing step work, and he lives in a Recovery/Sober Living House. Since moving into the Recovery House, he has never failed a drug and alcohol test. The best way to address a problem isn’t to put it on a shelf or in a cage for years and hope it goes away. Getting down to the root cause of the problem and working on the core issues is the only way to eradicate the problem. The plaintiff in James’s case doesn’t want him to be accepted into Recovery Court. I completely understand his position. What plaintiff, who feels they have been wronged,  would want someone to be rehabilitated instead of incarcerated? As a society, we want our pound of flesh.  I can tell you incarceration is not the answer. Rehabilitation is a viable option with a positive outcome for someone who is working a program of recovery, has embedded themselves in a 12 step fellowship as James has, and is living according to spiritual principles as James is. James has been clinically approved for Recovery Court by the courts specialized personnel to make this determination. Please join me in signing this petition to accept James Hankins Jr into Recovery Court. What message are we sending to sick and suffering addicts and alcoholics if he gets denied? Send a message of hope, that recovery is possible, and that we can once again become acceptable, responsible,  and productive members of society. 

Kosta Peppas

Director Of Operations 

GPS Recovery