During the drug rehabilitation process, there’s a long and ongoing debate as to whether drug courts work as well as they ought to. Recently, a new study has bolstered the “pro” side of the debate, including a recent report from the University of Michigan that puts them on the right track. According to research data, institutions containing offenders with a drug or alcohol abuse pattern are less likely to benefit the community than drug treatment programs. Still, crime rates will drop substantially, and drug rehabilitation costs will decline significantly.
The federal government owes trillions of dollars, so it seems ethical that they should not oppose healthcare that people need rather than jails that worsen people’s problems which could have been solved by drug rehabilitation.
Rehab can Help you Save Money
In what way is it possible that costs incurred for treatments will result in the storage of money? In time drug rehabilitation provides a similar return on investment to every worthwhile investment. Mental fitness and recuperation health is no different.
Consider the Following:
- The first treatment of drug treatment does not need to be as costly as a incarceration.
- Recovering addicts tend to commit fewer costly crimes and be arrested less often, reducing the price of incarceration.
- The long-term health of each individual is improving as a result of the healthcare reform, so the cost of healthcare for uninsured patients is decreasing significantly.
- If crime rates fall and fewer arrests occur, costs of law enforcement and court fees may be reduced.
Taking drugs as a second offense would save $4.8 billion over time if ten percent of drug offenders were treated first instead of being imprisoned. If 40 percent of drug offenders received treatment instead of jail time, the government would be able to save $12.9 billion.
Jason’s Story
In his book, “The Struggle,” Jason writes about his obsession with drug abuse: “At the end of the day, I realized it was just a matter of time before I ended up at the brim of a long prison sentence.” To give up having a good time, I knew that I would have to give up on this goal. I noticed the subhuman around me and wondered, “Look at them; just look how they all repeat themselves over and over again.” During my stay in prison, I observed my surroundings in my mind and imagined my surroundings to be nothing but subhuman. Now I realized they have been speaking with the same tone of voice about me for the past 15 years, and they have been saying the same thing about me—several 12-Step meetings a week and one conference as well as a meeting at another conference.
Rehab can Save Your Personal Money, but Only if you Know How
An addict’s drug rehabilitation treatment plan is not simply a pile of cash he’s willing to store for a big group. Saving money on restoration is another benefit of looking at the big picture.
The High Price of Treatment Can Be of No Use Compared to The Huge Amounts of Money that Would Otherwise Be Spent on Drugs and Alcohol Addiction. This Includes:
- Injuries resulting from drug overdose, injuries caused by drugs, and chronic illnesses related to drug use are all incurring high medical care costs.
- Fees associated with drug-related arrests, such as bail, court costs, lawyers fees, and other legal fees
- Active addiction reduces productivity, including the ability to work and bring in money.
- The cost of the support of a person who is not able to support themselves
- Support of children born to an addicted person
- Costs of long-term health complications that may occur as a result of substance use, even when a person avoids overdose or illness immediately.
Over half of everyone serving time is presumed to be serving time due to having a substance abuse problem that is being pursued through drug rehabilitation. Even though around 10% of those trying to fight drug abuse recover while behind bars, they are not receiving the rehabilitation they require to be healthy. The consequences of their addiction and drug rehabilitation take a toll on them.
It has been established that, once drug offenders are released from prison, they often return to active drug abuse, only to find themselves back in court, before a judge, for the same or similar crimes, just days, weeks, or months later.
Can One Attend Rehab Instead of Jail?
Generally, yes. There are instances where you are better off going to drug rehabilitation than jail. It would be best to consider the costs involved when going to rehab instead of prison. Using your employer’s health insurance for drug rehabilitation may cover your inpatient treatment. The 90-day inpatient program required for drug or alcohol-related offences is typically shorter than prison time. If you do not have health coverage, plan to pay $50k-$75k to go to a program accepted by the court to recover for 90 days.
As drug rehabilitation increases in importance, the number of drug and alcohol-related arrests increases each year dramatically. For example, there are 1.3 million arrests for drug- and alcohol-related crimes every year. With more than 24.5 million individuals in the United States presently relying on a substance, it is also expected for these numbers to increase in the years to come. A drug or alcohol addiction related to a crime is not an isolated situation for drug rehabilitation.
As important as it may be to accept that incarceration for drug and alcohol-related offences may not be possible, community service may be possible, and even drug rehabilitation might be possible. Data suggest that 75% of individuals who spent time in prison commit the same crimes soon as released. Around 50% of all jail inmates have drug or alcohol addiction; however, fewer than 10% get treatment. The vast majority of people locked up returned to drug rehabilitation after leaving prison.
It is common for drug crimes to be rife with disparities because courts are often overburdened, overcharging defendants for drug rehabilitation. Despite this, more and more courts are enforcing proactive measures to ensure that people with apparent problem behaviors receive substance abuse treatment and drug rehabilitation while in prison.
You may be able to take advantage of appropriate methods to obtain a remedy if you find yourself arrested for a drug or alcohol-related offence instead of spending time in jail.
Rehab vs Jail: Why?
Statistics indicate that sending a patient to rehab over-incarceration, where the patient can often remain separated from drug rehabilitation, has numerous advantages. Studies show that if even 10 to 15% of those convicted of drug-related activities were sent to rehab instead of jail, an estimated $48 billion a year could be saved. A 40% increase in that rate would equate to $12,9 billion in additional purchasing power for the U.S.
Also, studies have repeatedly shown that drug rehabilitation is more effective at boosting trade than creating new businesses or jobs. The decision is based on the hypothesis that up to 75% of the people who go into prison re-offend after their release, compared to around 57% of those who go through some drug rehabilitation. Inmates who have received drug rehabilitation have a much lower success rate (42% versus 65%) than inmates who have received treatment. Compared to 30% of people who went to rehab, 51% of inmates anew a prison term after 12 months.
Moreover, the U.S. Drug rehabilitation centers correlate drug abuse with criminal activity. Statistics show individuals addicted to opioids are more likely to commit sixty-three crimes per year. The economic and social benefits of sending individuals to rehabilitation instead of prison reduce prison burden, prevent repeat offenders, reduce fines, and enhance the lives of individuals as a result of drug rehabilitation.
Do I Have to Go to Prison Instead of Rehab?
Although most individuals qualify for drug rehabilitation instead of incarceration, you should be tested by a medical professional or consult a legal expert to determine if that is the case. The drug rehabilitation centre may not consider you for admission if you have not been physically dependent on the substance or have not followed up with caseworkers to determine that you have a problem.
It is acceptable to advocate imprisonment or incarceration for those with a history of violent crimes concerning drug rehabilitation preferences. Even if you are not experiencing a violent crime, bear in mind that you need to get counsel when faced with serious life events.
Taking Treatment for Dependency on Drugs and Alcohol Saves Valuable Money for Society
An anticipated 50 per cent of the U.S. There is a problem with drug addiction among the jail population. About ten per cent of people do receive significant help.
Getting These Offenders Into Drug Rehabilitation Rather than A Jail Could Help Preserve Money in Several Ways:
- Individuals reduce the risk of arrest and incarceration in recovery.
- A decrease in the number of crimes could also decrease the cost of courtrooms and lawyers fees.
- The price of initial drug addiction treatment and rehab is much lower than what it would be if an individual were imprisoned.
- Healthcare costs are reduced by addiction treatment and recovery in each the short-term and the overall.
- Addiction treatment would help recoup losses in earnings, such as incarceration or drug-induced injury and infection.
- Recuperation may utilize resources previously used in caring for children of offenders or addicts.
Rehab Isn’t Provided in Prisons
Approximately 15 to 20 per cent of the two million American prisoners subject to judicial control suffer from some form of intellectual contamination, as estimated by the U.S. Department of Justice. Jails were designed in such a way to keep mental health patients out of local mental health treatment and drug rehab centers. Whereas hospitals focus on treating mental illness, clinics treat it.
Psychologists and psychiatrists mainly work with mental health professionals and drug rehabilitation specialists to provide psychological and rehabilitative care to jailed inmates. Prison-based therapists have a heavy caseload, which makes implementing such programs challenging. This is a huge problem for drug rehabilitation. Also, there are not enough intellectually fit individuals to address all the demands of the United States Prisons.
There is also a range of philosophical and precedent differences between creating and implementing drug rehabilitation programs for the inmates and the difficulty of implementing the programs. In contrast to psychology, which emphasizes the needs of each patient and attempts to rehabilitate them, criminal justice emphasizes incarceration and drug rehabilitation instead.
Get Help Today for Substance Abuse
Would you like to help yourself or a loved one enter into and complete a drug rehabilitation program so that you can become more productive in your daily life? Call our 24/7 confidential admissions hotline at 615-490-9376 If you need help finding the right treatment center for you or a loved one concerning drug rehabilitation.
Ben Lesser is one of the most sought-after experts in health, fitness and medicine. His articles impress with unique research work as well as field-tested skills. He is a freelance medical writer specializing in creating content to improve public awareness of health topics. We are honored to have Ben writing exclusively for Dualdiagnosis.org.