Incarceration Advantages

Benefits to Using Alternatives to Incarceration for Drug Offenders in America
America has a drug problem. Just like when an individual has a problem and it affects the entire family, the country’s problem affects all of society. The possession or distribution of drugs is a criminal act. The criminal justice system, which is in place to serve justice and protect its citizens, is responsible for handling these issues in the form of punishment. The usual punishment is incarceration for a mandatory sentence length that depends on the crime. Though not all drug offenders are eligible for alternative sentences, allowing those that are eligible for an option other than incarceration can greatly benefit the economy, society and the offender themselves. …show more content…
During this period, the offender will reconnect with family and try to get a job. If getting a job is harder than anticipated the offender will find other means to get money. They are highly likely to go back to the same behavior prior to the arrest because it is familiar. This plays a large part in the high recidivism rate. The majority of drug offenders are rearrested within the first few years of release from incarceration (Bureau of Justice Statistics). Without redirection from destructive behavior and resources to assist with a new way of living, the chance of change is …show more content…
While in this program, the offender is usually required to work and pay their own way. There is a weekly fee that is required and they can send any money left to help their family or save it for when they are finished, unlike incarceration. This requirement also begins to instill work ethics in those that were lacking it prior to treatment. This increases the success of being a productive member of society after treatment because positive habits are being formed and replacing the likelihood of committing new