Famous American rapper T.I. is in the spotlight again this week after appearing before a judge for violating his probation. On October 19th, 2010, a federal judge ordered that his September 1st Los Angeles arrest will result in more prison time. He was on probation after serving a sentence for weapons possession. He failed his urinalysis, showing opiates were in his system. He was also found with ecstasy on his person and associating with a convicted felon.
T.I. (whose real name is Clifford Harris) was sentenced to another eleven months in prison. He gave a plea for help, saying he knew what he did was wrong and that he wants assistance to break free from his drug habits. However, because of the probation violation and all the circumstances surrounding it, Mr. Harris must return to prison instead of heading straight to a rehabilitation center.
If this celebrity serves his time, once back into the world and again on strict probation, what would be his best choice? T.I. should consider entering a drug rehabilitation center immediately following his sentence. Eleven months in jail seems like a long period of time to reflect and clean up your act….but very little drug counseling is offered behind bars. A stay at a reputable rehabilitation center like Vista Taos Renewal Center in New Mexico can give patients the tools they need to remain drug-free, even after a long period of time in incarceration. Removing yourself from drugs is a start, but jail is not rehab. The relapse rates of addicts who serve time are very high. Though prison may be an eye-opener, it is not the cure.
“Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark, in the hopeless swamps of the approximate, the not-quite, the not-yet, the not-at-all. Do not let the hero in your soul perish, in lonely frustration for the life you deserved, but have never been able to reach. Check your road and the nature of your battle. The world you desired can be won. It exists, it is real, it is possible, it is yours.”
