May 8, 2025
Drug, Alcohol Reform in Prison Gets Focus
By M.J. Michaels
The inaugural and possibly annual Choosing Integrity Dinner was hosted on Sunday, April 27th, in the upstairs Lounge of the Historic Dimmick Inn. A wide range of guests, from commissioners and councilors to the formerly incarcerated, enjoyed Chef Peter Daniel’s impressive culinary skills as several individuals spoke about their experiences in the court system. They discussed the impact that the nonprofit has had on their lives.
First established in 2014 by Hampton Morgan, Choosing Integrity has helped countless residents of Pike County struggling with drug and alcohol addiction. For the past eight years, the Commissioners’ office has supported them by allowing the organization to use its offices on High Street in Milford, PA. Commissioner Matt Osterberg stated that the program is “a much-needed service to get people back into their lives and become a productive part of society.” The Commissioners’ office hopes to see people return to society instead of returning to the correctional facility. “Everyone has been touched by addiction, whether it is personal, family member, or friend, and we should have sympathy and support for those working through their recovery.”
However, recovery is never easy, and the stigma surrounding drug and alcohol use is prominent. Many on the road to recovery suffer from the judgment of their peers. Choosing Integrity Executive director Sharon Daniel, who came to the position in December, states that it can be a struggle to combat the shame projected on recovering individuals and their families. Yet, addiction exists on a spectrum, much like the journey to recovery.
John Dalessio, who has lived in Dingmans Ferry for 35 years, spoke about his story at the dinner. Having been in and out of the Pike County Correctional Facility several times over the last two decades, he talked about the revolving door of issues that plagued him and others.
“Going to jail freezes your life instead of improving upon it.” said Dalessio. “I know firsthand: You lose your place in life; then, once you’re out, you go right back to what put you away. Alcoholics Anonymous never worked for me, but Smart Recovery did. It allowed me to take personal responsibility instead of displacing blame, and I responded really well to that.” Mr. Dalessio is now in school to become a Certified Recovery Specialist (CRS) so that he may counsel others.
Currently, Pike County doesn’t offer drug and alcohol courts, like neighboring Lackawanna and Wayne counties. Offenders in those counties are often offered rehabilitation as a primary solution. Pike County offers rehab, but only after offenders are released from jail, which costs each incarcerated person$10 a day. So, if a person is sentenced to nine months, they will have a bill for $2,700 upon release. Without working for all those months, it can be difficult to pay, on top of fines incurred from the original offense. If these bills are not paid, it could lead to more time in prison, continuing a cycle that affects not only the individual but their families and entire communities.
There is also the matter of suspended licenses and the lack of public transportation in the area. Many individuals coming out of Pike County Correctional will have to rely on others for rides back and forth to work, provided they can find it.
Choosing Integrity hopes to inspire those in the area to support those struggling with these issues. They hope that more volunteers might go into the prison and lead programs that will benefit the incarcerated members of our community. And it should be noted that they are still part of our community. While the many roads to recovery can be arduous, it takes a stellar amount of resilience to change, and those attempting to do so make our society stronger as a whole.
If you or someone you know is interested in supporting Choosing Integrity, you can visit their website. Sign-ups for their 4th Annual Pickleball Tournament on Saturday, July 26th, at Airport Park are currently up on Choosing Integrity’s website and Facebook page.
www.choosingintegrity.org