and (3) rehabilitate participants to improve their chances of successful reintegration into society by providing social services such as employment, job training, education, and housing assistance. Instead of incarceration, eligible offenders are offered mandatory substance-abuse treatment and community-based rehabilitation under court supervision, including mandatory drug test. However, not all drug offenders are eligible to participate. For example, individuals with prior convictions for violent or more serious offenses like property crimes, prostitution, and domestic violence cases are not allowed to participate; as well as individuals who are facing charges for selling drugs. All drug courts offer treatment as a component of the overall
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These offenders are overcrowding our prisons and the expense is overwhelming. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, in 2013 there were approximately 1,361,084 people incarcerated in state prisons and 215,866 people incarcerated in federal prison. Almost 16% (208,000 inmates) of state prisoners were convicted drug offenders and 51% (98,200 inmates) of federal inmates were convicted of possession, trafficking, or other drug crimes. The number of individuals incarcerated places a significant impact on government finances. In 2013, the state and local government spent over $80 billion on incarceration and 11 states spent more on corrections than higher education. Approximately three-fourths of prison inmates are substance abusers, however only 10 – 20 percent of inmates participate in treatment while incarcerated. With the correlation between crime and drugs being extremely critical, merely punishing drug abusers with incarceration is not enough; addiction needs to be treated. Treatment offered while in prison and under post-incarceration or release supervision can reduce recidivism by approximately 50%. Additionally, treatment is incredibly cost-effective; imprisoning an addict cost more than $25,000 a year, whereas outpatient treatment cost less than $5,000 a year, and residential treatment ranges between five and fifteen thousand dollars a year. Drug courts …show more content…
Drug abuse has a negative impact on society, causing a great deal of pressure on the criminal justice system to strengthen their drug control efforts. Before drugs were introduced into American culture, they were extremely popular among other countries, especially for the treatment of various illnesses. Drugs weren’t always an issue in American society, there once was no laws regulating the sale or use of most drug. Drug control efforts began as a response to public concerns about drug toxicity, dependence potential, and drug-related crime and violence. The first of many federal drug laws were passed between 1906 and 1918, which are the basis of our current drug regulations. As drug abuse continued to increase over the next century, numerous drug laws were passed, drug enforcement agencies were established, and stricter penalties were put in place for those who violated drug laws. However, society still seems to be in constant battle with illegal drug use. Drug related crime is becoming a critical issue and is leading to extreme overpopulation in prisons. The criminal justice system has established strategies for law enforcement, developed drug courts, and has developed various treatment programs in correction facilities to help reduce drug use, recidivism, and drug related crime. Laws were developed to control drug use and have a legitimate social purpose, to protect society from the dangers
These offenders are overcrowding our prisons and the expense is overwhelming. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, in 2013 there were approximately 1,361,084 people incarcerated in state prisons and 215,866 people incarcerated in federal prison. Almost 16% (208,000 inmates) of state prisoners were convicted drug offenders and 51% (98,200 inmates) of federal inmates were convicted of possession, trafficking, or other drug crimes. The number of individuals incarcerated places a significant impact on government finances. In 2013, the state and local government spent over $80 billion on incarceration and 11 states spent more on corrections than higher education. Approximately three-fourths of prison inmates are substance abusers, however only 10 – 20 percent of inmates participate in treatment while incarcerated. With the correlation between crime and drugs being extremely critical, merely punishing drug abusers with incarceration is not enough; addiction needs to be treated. Treatment offered while in prison and under post-incarceration or release supervision can reduce recidivism by approximately 50%. Additionally, treatment is incredibly cost-effective; imprisoning an addict cost more than $25,000 a year, whereas outpatient treatment cost less than $5,000 a year, and residential treatment ranges between five and fifteen thousand dollars a year. Drug courts …show more content…
Drug abuse has a negative impact on society, causing a great deal of pressure on the criminal justice system to strengthen their drug control efforts. Before drugs were introduced into American culture, they were extremely popular among other countries, especially for the treatment of various illnesses. Drugs weren’t always an issue in American society, there once was no laws regulating the sale or use of most drug. Drug control efforts began as a response to public concerns about drug toxicity, dependence potential, and drug-related crime and violence. The first of many federal drug laws were passed between 1906 and 1918, which are the basis of our current drug regulations. As drug abuse continued to increase over the next century, numerous drug laws were passed, drug enforcement agencies were established, and stricter penalties were put in place for those who violated drug laws. However, society still seems to be in constant battle with illegal drug use. Drug related crime is becoming a critical issue and is leading to extreme overpopulation in prisons. The criminal justice system has established strategies for law enforcement, developed drug courts, and has developed various treatment programs in correction facilities to help reduce drug use, recidivism, and drug related crime. Laws were developed to control drug use and have a legitimate social purpose, to protect society from the dangers