Friday, 11 August 2017
Saturday, 5 August 2017
‘Confirmation of Attendance’ or ‘chit’ system
‘Confirmation of Attendance’ or ‘chit’ system
In Great Britain, what started out as the Probation ‘Confirmation of Attendance’ or ‘chit’
system continues to expand, now being made available to social workers, courts and employers – to almost any ‘professional’ who requires a ‘client’ to
provide proof of their A.A. meeting attendance.
This expansion is in line with Government implementation of the
Synanon Cult based Therapeutic Communities Movement’s Recovery Orientated Integration System (ROIS) into British drug addiction and
alcoholism treatment systems. The ROIS
treatment system includes coercive referral to A.A. ROIS is also known as Recovery Oriented Systems of Care (ROSC). US style drug courts have
been trialled in Scotland, England and Wales.
While sections of the A.A. service structure in Great Britain are
responding positively to these external initiatives, A.A. groups may not be
fully informed as to the origin and nature of ROIS, or how the participation in
signing of proof of attendance slips in the USA has compromised A.A. unity and
public relations.
Whether for or against the ‘Confirmation of Attendance’ or ‘chit’ system,
A.A. members in Great Britain would do well to read the following A.A. report from
the USA:
“A Report on the Status of Cooperation with Courts in the Mid-Michigan Area and AA as a Whole”
Containing A.A. reports from Mid-Michigan, Dallas and Maryland, this
report documents problems A.A. groups have faced, gives analysis of A.A.
Traditions, and how groups in some areas have resolved issues of disunity and
affiliation with outside entities. The report documents how groups in Dallas, Chicago and Maryland have
developed methods of cooperating with the Criminal Justice System which do not
involve A.A. groups signing proof of attendance slips.
Extracts:
“What started out as
an offer to work with any probationers that wanted help, has evolved into a
complex system that is full of punitive measures such as daily breath and urine
tests, group counseling and even 24-7 alcohol level monitors. The latest
addition is the implementation of “recovery coaches” which seem to further blur
the line between cooperation and affiliation.”
“The courts have sentenced parties who are not alcoholics to
our meetings. The melding of sobriety courts and drug courts has created Singleness
of Purpose issues. Now the expansion into “Healing Courts” and “Mental Health
Courts” has been too tempting to court professionals who view assigning AA
meetings as a catchall that is easily justified under the umbrella of “what can
it hurt?” Their lack of understanding coupled with AA’s general inability to
communicate what AA is, and is not, has contributed to AA in fact becoming a
dumping ground.” (Mid-Michigan, Cooperation
with the Professional Community Committee, District 6, Area 32: ‘A Report on the Status of Cooperation with Courts in the Mid-Michigan Area and AA as a Whole’).
“Our
experience has gone from early euphoria at "so many new-comers" to
concern, frustration, dissension, and finally, to a general realization that
our survival was threatened.” (Maryland General Service Office: ‘D.W.I.’S and COURT
SLIPS IN AA MEETINGS - A Report on the Experience of the Maryland Area of
Alcoholics Anonymous’)
“AA members cannot police attendance, answer questions about probation,
or allow probation officers who are not alcoholic to attend closed meetings. Of
greater importance, we cannot give our names and telephone numbers for
verification by the judicial system. All of this is in direct violation of
Tradition 12. Anyone who attends an AA meeting should have the confidence that
their anonymity will be preserved nor should anyone be required to divulge that
information because of affiliation with an outside entity.”
“Alcoholics Anonymous becomes affiliated in the minds of the probationers
with the judicial system. In signing the papers, we underscore that
affiliation. We are violating both traditions 3 and 6.”
“Instead of being sentenced to A.A., the probationers are sentenced to
CRIP. Since CRIP is a court program, probation officers are present to sign all
papers, monitor attendance and answer questions.” (Dallas Intergroup Board of
Trustees: ‘Court Referral Information Program Information Sheet’)
For full report PDF Click Here
- Will this be the shape of things to come for A.A. in Great
Britain?
- Have the A.A. service structures in the USA and Great Britain been tricked into integrating A.A. with an external treatment system which in the long term
benefits Synanon Cult based Therapeutic Communities at the expense of A.A. as a
whole?
For more information on the Recovery Orientated
Integration System (ROIS) and how this system integrates with A.A. see AA Minority Report 2017: “Synanon Cult Influence on Alcoholics Anonymous, Addiction Treatment and the Criminal Justice System 1968-2017”
Friday, 23 June 2017
Minority Report 2017 (Alcoholics Anonymous): "Synanon Cult Influence on Alcoholics Anonymous, Addiction Treatment and the Criminal Justice System 1968-2017"
Full report PDF click here
Contents
Preface
1 Introduction
2 Synanon Cult influence on Addiction Treatment and Alcoholics Anonymous
2.1 The Synanon Cult Origin
2.2 Transfer of Synanon philosphy to mainstream addiction treatment
2.2.1 Daytop Lodge/Daytop Village
2.2.2 Phoenix House
2.2.3 First Generation Synanon TCs in USA
2.2.4 First Generation Synanon TCs in UK
2.2.5 Second Generation and Contemporary Synanon TCs in USA
2.2.6 Synanon and first generation TC influence on Alcoholics Anonymous
2.2.7 Synanon “Religion”, TC philosophy and Oxford Group nostalgia in A.A.
2.2.8 Therapeutic Communities, Alcoholics Anonymous, and the Cult Phenomenon
2.2.9 Therapeutic Communities “Back to Basics” Movement
2.2.10 Recovery Model
2.2.11 Recovery Oriented Integration System (ROIS)
2.2.12 Emergence of the Recovery Movement/Recovery Advocacy Movement
2.2.13 Contemporary Thought Reform Programmes
2.2.14 Thought Reform Programmes and the Production of Psychiatric Casualties
2.2.15 The distortion of history relating to the origin of Synanon, Alcoholics Anonymous and the TC movement
2.2.16 Contemporary TCs
3 Synanon TC influence on the Criminal Justice System and Alcoholics Anonymous
3.1 Synanon TC political influence and influence on the Criminal Justice System
3.2 Drug Courts, Coercion in the Justice System, and Court mandated attendance at A.A. meetings
3.3 Effect of Court mandated attendance on A.A.
3.4 Drug Court Advocacy in A.A.
3.5 Drug Courts and coercive referral to A.A. in the UK
3.6 Drug Court/Recovery Community Advocacy in the UK
3.7 The future progression of Drug Courts and how this political trend in the Criminal Justice system may affect alcoholics
4 Emergence of a Fundamentalist Movement in A.A.
4.1 Synanon, Tom P. Jr., “Gresham’s Law and Alcoholics Anonymous”, East Ridge Community and Recovery Center, All Addicts Anonymous, The Family Foundation School/Allynwood Academy, Congress Child Abuse Hearings, House of Parliament Presentation
4.2 Clarence S., Mitchell K., Came to Believe Retreats
4.3 Dick B., Freedom Ranch Maui Inc., International Christian Recovery Coalition, Overcomer’s Outreach
4.4 Joe McQ, The Primary Purpose Group of Dallas, Texas
4.5 Wally P., Back To Basics Foundation Inc., Faith With Works Publishing Company
4.6 Clancy I., The Pacific Group, Plymouth Road To Recovery Group
4.7 Deceptive Distortion of A.A. History regarding A.A.’s relationship with the Oxford Group
5 Recovery Alliance Inc.
6 12-Step Facilitation, Project Match and Hazelden Foundation
7 Distortion of early Alcoholics Anonymous History
8 Corruption of A.A. Sponsorship
9 Commercial Corruption of Alcoholics Anonymous
9.1 Loss of AA’s Circle and Triangle Trademark
9.2 Commercial Corruption in A.A. Intergroups
9.3 Illegal reprinting of A.A. Literature in ‘Big Book Study Guides’
9.4 Hazelden Publishing
9.5 Alcoholics Anonymous Publishing
9.6 Commercial Corruption in A.A. General Service Conferences and General Service Boards
9.7 A.A., the Internet and Online Therapeutic Communities
10 Diseasing of America: How We Allowed Recovery Zealots and the Treatment Industry to Convince US We Are Out of Control
10.1 Introduction
10.2 Public Criticism of A.A.
10.3 Social Trends and Changing Language in A.A.
10.4 Disease Theory Controversy
10.5 Misuse of Alcoholics Anonymous as an Addiction Treatment
10.6 Alcoholism, Narcissism and Cult Leadership
10.7 Circuit speakers and speaker recordings
10.8 The “Is A.A. a Cult?” debate
11 Conclusion
11.1 Conclusion
11.2 Bibliography/Suggested Reading
12 A.A.’s ‘Final Great Decision’
Appendices
A Synanon Cult Influence on A.A. - A.A. Grapevine Articles 1968-1975
References
For full report PDF click here
Friday, 16 June 2017
Saturday, 10 June 2017
“Alcoholics and narcotics anonymous: A radical movement under threat”
Results of a ten
year study of A.A. and N.A. by Professor Phoebus Zafiridis and Sotiris Lainas, Department of Psychology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece,
published in Addiction Research and Theory in 2012.
For free view and PDF download click here
This will
be of interest to any A.A. member concerned at the increasing exploitation and professionalization
of A.A. by the addiction treatment industry.
Saturday, 3 June 2017
Minority Report 2017 (Alcoholics Anonymous): Synanon Cult influence on Alcoholics Anonymous, Addiction Treatment and the Criminal Justice System 1968-2017
A Minority Report to Alcoholics Anonymous General Service
Conferences worldwide
Authors: Members of Alcoholics Anonymous resident in Great Britain
Submitted to GSO (Great Britain) for consideration as a
topic for Conference 2018
For full report PDF click here
Abstract:
“This report documents a brief history of the Synanon cult
and its influence on Alcoholics Anonymous, addiction treatment and the criminal
justice system. By drawing upon published research in the fields of addiction
treatment, sociology, criminology, cultic studies, journalism, and government
reports, this report examines the complex international relationships between
the Synanon cult, Alcoholics Anonymous, the ‘Therapeutic Communities’ and
‘Recovery’ movements, and government agencies in the USA and UK. In recent
decades there has been a proliferation of treatment centres which attempt to
combine the Synanon based Therapeutic Community treatment model with Alcoholics
Anonymous in addiction treatment. There has also been a proliferation of
commercial enterprises which target A.A. members with products ranging from
literature explaining the Twelve Steps, how to sponsor newcomers, and how to
organise A.A. meetings, to novelty items such as CDs, bumper stickers, sobriety
chips and key rings. Certain sectors of the addiction treatment industry have
collaborated with government agencies to facilitate alcoholics to A.A. through
treatment centres and courts. Despite the number of people facilitated to A.A.
in recent decades, official A.A. membership estimates indicate overall A.A.
membership levels have become static and may even have fallen. The attempt to
integrate Synanon philosophy with Alcoholics Anonymous in addiction treatment
may explain A.A.’s stagnant growth, public criticism of cult-like practices and
reports of disunity in some areas of the fellowship in Great Britain. It may
also explain A.A. discontinuing use of the Circle and Triangle trademark in the
USA, in favour of commercial enterprises. In an age which has seen the
development of highly sophisticated thought reform programmes which bypass
psychological defence mechanisms, this report discusses how A.A. members,
Conference Delegates, G.S.O. Staff and General Service Boards, might protect
themselves, and the fellowship, against automatic compliance to professionally
presented packages of ‘mutual aid,’ which in the long term benefit the vendors
at the expense of the targeted population.”
Comment: If you are an A.A. member resident outside Great Britain, it
is suggested that you read the report PDF in full and file it to your national General
Service Conference along with any information relevant to your locality.
For full report PDF click here
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