RRP Episode 55: Breaking the Chains of Criminal Addiction – How Crimanon Co-Founders Bear & Zane Built a Path to Recovery

RRP Episode 55: Breaking the Chains of Criminal Addiction – How Crimanon Co-Founders Bear & Zane Built a Path to Recovery

Presenters: Julie and Peter
Length: 1 hour, 27 minutes

Links to Websites Discussed:

• Crimanon Website: https://crimanon.org/
• Exclusive Interview with Bear (Co-founder of Crimanon): Watch Here
• Harmony Academy: https://www.harmonyacademyrhs.org/
• Another Chance Recovery: https://anotherchancerehab.com/
• Oregon Recovers: https://www.oregonrecovers.org/
• Fora Health: https://forahealth.org/
• NARA (Native American Rehabilitation Association): https://www.naranorthwest.org/

Key Points with Time Stamps:

• [00:01:00] – Introduction to Bear and Zane, co-founders of Crimanon, and their mission to address criminal addiction.
• [00:04:30] – Bear’s personal story—his realization of criminal addiction and the early seeds of Crimanon while incarcerated.
• [00:07:45] – Zane’s journey: 57 felonies, 187 arrests, and the turning point that led him to recovery.
• [00:12:30] – The formation of Crimanon’s think tank inside Columbia River Correctional Facility.
• [00:17:15] – The connection between criminal behavior and addiction—why some get a bigger high from crime than substances.
• [00:22:50] – How Crimanon meetings work, the 12-step model, and the importance of community support.
• [00:28:30] – The role of trauma in criminal addiction—childhood experiences, ACEs scores, and the path to healing.
• [00:33:10] – The challenges of re-entering society: barriers to employment, housing, and rebuilding trust.
• [00:39:25] – Expanding Crimanon: the first meetings outside of prison and the struggle to find space.
• [00:44:10] – Success stories: how Crimanon has helped individuals transform their lives.
• [00:49:30] – Plans for the future: returning to prisons, expanding meetings, and advocating for criminal addiction to be recognized in the DSM.
• [00:54:20] – The importance of criminal addiction recovery in breaking cycles of recidivism.
• [01:02:10] – Crimanon’s impact in Portland, Oregon, and its growing influence in recovery communities.
• [01:10:30] – How incarceration can perpetuate criminal addiction and why true rehabilitation requires addressing deeper behavioral patterns.
• [01:17:45] – The power of peer-driven recovery and the role of lived experience in mentoring others.
• [01:24:00] – Closing thoughts: second chances, community support, and the vision for Crimanon’s future.

Summary:

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Bear and Zane, the co-founders of Crimanon, a fellowship focused on helping individuals recover from criminal addiction. They share their raw and eye-opening stories—how years