ANDERSON, Ind. (WISH) — A new program gives Madison County inmates a chance to beat their drug addictions. Officials are offering inmates drug addiction treatment and, if they agree, it could change the inmate’s sentence.
One participant agreed to an interview with 24-Hour News 8 but asked to be referred to only as Melissa.
A few months ago, Melissa was locked up in the Madison County Jail. She’s still incarcerated in a work release facility.
During a supervised release, she shared her story.
“I was prescribed pain pills when I was 22 for back problems and that kind of began my addiction,” Melissa said. “When pain pills were no longer available on the streets, I turned to heroin.”
She took her first hit five years ago. Melissa said heroin nearly tore her marriage apart. Police arrested her for possession, released her on parole and put her back in jail after she failed a drug test.
“It’s not worth it. It really isn’t,” she said. “It will take everything away from you.”
Melissa said a probation officer showed her a road to recovery. He told her about a new program in which inmates are given Vivitrol. Vivitrol is advertised as a non-addictive treatment for opioid dependency.