In the film Carlito's Way, the person needing treatment services was Dave Kleinfeld, Carlito's lawyer. No history is given of Kleinfeld's drug dependency. The first time we see him taking drugs is in his office, after his meeting with the Mobster Convict. The fact that Kleinfeld is taking drugs in his office indicates that he is unable to resist using cocaine whenever it is available. Kleinfeld is snorting lines of coke from off his desk. His secretary interrupts Kleinfeld with a phone call, but she could have just as easily walked in on him.
Typical of persons with cocaine addiction, Kleinfeld has resorted to illicit activities to support his habit. Kleinfeld steals $1 million that the Mobster Convict had intended for his son. Consequently, Kleinfeld finds himself in a life-threatening situation. His reaction to this is to increase his cocaine intake.
Kleinfeld became treatment ready immediately following his meeting with the Mobster Convict, who informs Kleinfeld that there is a contract on his life. The Mobster Convict paints a graphic picture of Kleinfeld at the bottom of the East River with eels and crabs crawling out of his eyes. When Kleinfeld leaves the prison he looks into the East River and the prospect of being murdered completely unnerves him.
The meeting with the Mobster Convict makes Kleinfeld treatment ready because he is at a turning point in his life. If Kleinfeld gets help now, it is possible he can find a legitimate escape route; if Kleinfeld continues his free fall, he'll get in over his head. Kleinfeld needs formal intervention at this point. His problems are simply too big for him to handle. Kleinfeld should not be referred to a self-help program, because at this point he lacks motivation. Kleinfeld still believes that his cocaine bravado can get him out of the trouble he is in.
The first point where intervention should have occurred was at the nightclub during the sequence wh...