Substance abuse is the main cause for high recidivism. Release and recidivism are of particular interest in criminal justice given that the mean incarceration length is only 21-28 months. (Lynch & Sabol, 2001) It is even more prevalent recently due to the spike in released individuals from 170,000 in 1980 to 585,000 in 2000. (Lynch & Sabol, 2001) Of that population, “67% of (incarcerated) individuals who were released returned to prison within 3 years, with 47% being convicted of new crimes and 52% violating the mandates of their paroles.” …show more content…
Through research, we have concluded that there are at least 7 million persons under correctional supervision, half of which were convicted with drug charges. We need to realize as a society that addiction is a disease and is a hard one to break from. By sending substance abusers back into society without treatment programs, we are providing them with failure and ultimately recidivism. It is difficult for offenders to break the habit of abuse. Especially when we send them back into the communities in which they were convicted without providing rehabilitation and coping