|
Published: May 23, 2006 12:05 am
HOOKED ON GAMBLING: An innovative approach
The nation’s first gambling treatment court in Amherst provides one answer to problem gambling
By Denise Jewell
Niagara Gazette
If she hadn’t landed in front of Judge Mark Farrell, the last year of Winas’ life could have gone very differently.
The therapists assigned her to gambling court and directed her to attend several Gamblers Anonymous meetings and a 12-week class that warned of the pitfalls of gambling.
Winas admits gambling was a big part of her life.
“I’m a big scratch-off freak,” Winas said. “It was just part of my life all the time.”
Winas also attended a mandatory drug recovery program every day and kept regular court dates and took drug tests to monitor her progress for a year.
Now clean and working in her family’s dry cleaning business, Winas is grateful for the opportunity to avoid jail time and straighten out her record.
“I worked hard for that. It was tough to go through that program, but it was very beneficial,” Winas said. “I didn’t see it at the time, but it’s still working now.”
Farrell estimates that the court has screened more than 125 people for gambling problems, including requesting credit reports and sending defendants for a gambling evaluation.
But flagging people as problem or pathological gamblers still poses a problem for the court.
Farrell believes that has stemmed from a misperception of problem gambling.
“Gambling, traditionally, has been considered to be, not an illness or an addiction, but more of a character flaw,” Farrell said. “So people are more likely to admit they’re a heroin addict than they would be to admit that they’re a compulsive gambler.”
Farrell’s program is one of a few innovative approaches to treating gambling addiction in the country. He has traveled to 15 states to explain to other jurisdictions how to set up a gambling court. On Monday, Farrell spoke to more than 100 judges gathered in Niagara Falls for the 27th annual education conference of the National Judges Association.
“The biggest obstacle to a court is allocation of resources,” Farrell said. “Government is basically benefiting from gaming to fill budget gaps to provide a supposed benefit to the community.”
Although gambling revenue projections have skyrocketed in recent years, treatment advocates like James Maney believe programs to address gambling’s fallout have lapsed behind.
Maney, executive director of the New York Council on Problem Gambling, compares the social impact of gambling to transportation safety and other areas governments have traditionally been involved in addressing.
|
|
 |
PHONE SALES
PHONE sales, great pay, exp. a plus, nice NT office, FT/PT, hrly. +, Pete or Mike, 694-1251...>MORE
BILINGUAL PHONE INTERVIEWER
Bilingual Telephone interviewer. Surveys for insurance policy review. Spanish/English a Must. ft/pt & Sat. No sales/coll...>MORE
Cook
COOK full time.
Apply in person only,
Augie’s Diner,
2470 Military Rd.
...>MORE
SHIPPING CLERK
Shipping Clerk, p/t, 30-35 hrs. wk., exp. in warehouse environment, knowledge of Word/Excel, data entry, UPS, freight ch...>MORE
auto detailer
Auto Detailer full time, exp. pref. Apply at David Chevy Buick Pontiac, 10225 Nia Falls Blvd. or 298-9700 ask for Frank....>MORE
Driver
DRIVERS – CDL A
TEAM DRIVERS NEEDED FOR
DEDICATED RUNS
No touch freight............Good miles
...>MORE
Physical Therapy Assistant
PHYSICAL THERAPY
ASSISTANT (PTA)
Looking for a self-motivated PTA to provide PT services for premier lo...>MORE
Grill Cook
GRILL COOK & Waitresses, exp only, full time. Apply within 2021 Main St. Nia Falls ...>MORE
Senior Citizen Program Coordinator
SENIOR CITIZEN PROGRAM COORDINATOR
City of Niagara Falls
Full-time position involves coord., developing & revi...>MORE
Dental Reception
Maintenance
Supervisor
FT Maintenance Niagara Falls YMCA. HVAC, electr., plbg, carpentry, cleaning, pool. $13....>MORE
See all ads |
1996 Ford Escort
FORD 1996 Escort 4 cyl, 2 dr, exc cond in & out, no rust, 1 owner, only 61k orig mi, $2195. 523-7102...>MORE
1984 Cadillac Eldorado
CADILLAC Eldorado 1984, runs, inspected, $500. 283-3552....>MORE
Nissan 1993 4x4
NISSAN 1993 4x4, extended cab, bedliner cap, $1200 or best offer, 715-2450...>MORE
Chevy 1995 Pickup
CHEVY 1995 Pickup truck, 4WD, 5 speed, must see, never had plow on it, $2800 bo, 804-5579...>MORE
VW 2001 Beetle
VW 2001 Beetle, loaded, GLX turbo, exc. cond, all service records, fun to drive, blue bk $5600, take best offer, 990-06...>MORE
Monte Carlo Z24 1998
MONTE CARLO Z24, 1998, runs good, average miles, excellent shape, $1800 , 990-2303...>MORE
Chevy 1994 High Topper Van
CHEVY 1994 High topper van, high road miles, mechanically sound, $900 or bo, 716-510-8105...>MORE
1999 Dodge Caravan
DODGE 1999 Caravan, 33, V6, auto, A/C, 99k miles, good cond., runs great. $1950. 525-7796...>MORE
Dodge 1993 Dakota 4x4
FORD 1999 WIndstar, LX, fully loaded, 38k miles, $3850. Excellent condition 860-4747...>MORE
Ford 2001 Taurus
Ford 2001 Taurus Station wagon, well maintained, 112,000 miles Siver ext. 4 dr, auto, asking $2800/BO. 716-772-2454....>MORE
See all ads |
|
 |
|
Print this story
E-mail this story
Post to del.icio.us
