Court Ordered And Substance Abuse Treatment

Addiction is has been around for a long time. The fear of people becoming addicted to certain substances has lead to policies changes. However, there has not been a major federal law passed that dealt with addiction in over forty years. In 2016, President Obama signed a law that covered all the major points of addiction and recovery. This topic this important to me because some of my loved ones are addicts. I may also have clients that are addicts.This paper will take a look at that law. First, we have to define a few key terms.

Since the origination of drug treatment courts, there has been countless numbers of offenders who have successfully completed the program and fought their way past drug abuse. There are also a handful of offenders who may have struggled to change their drug abuse or addiction, and fell short of completing the program. In this second part of my report, I will be determining whether drug treatment court programs actually work. To accomplish this task, I will be reviewing three empirical studies to evaluate how effective the program truly is.

Drug courts offer intensive supervision, and intensive care. Drugs/alcohol offenders come under the court's administration immediately after their arrest and, throughout the phases of the program. Defendants/Offenders are expected to attend treatment meetings, undergo strict drugs/alcohol testing, before meeting judge regularly to determine whether their intensity needs to be increased or reduced after they have demonstrated significant and consistent progress in the treatment program. Those who fail are given the chance to undergo the program again or be incarcerated.

Getting help for drug addiction is often such an intimidating idea that many addicts continue to use rather than expose themselves to the embarrassment or pain that they have associated with reaching out to someone for help. This is in large part due to the fact that television, books and movies have portrayed drug rehab centers in such a negative light that the reality is actually quite incomprehensibly different than these depictions. Millions of people have gotten help for addiction and gone on to lead productive and fulfilling lives free from the bonds of substance abuse. However, there are plenty still who delayed treatment for one reason or another and suffered severe consequences by doing so. Because addiction is a progressive and

The right support can make recovery much easier. No one has to live with the pain of an addiction. If you or a loved one suffers from an addiction, you can lay the foundation for your recovery by going through detox. To find out how detox can help you out, call Serenity House Detox today at

perform that particular action (Harrell and Roman, 2001). On the opposite side of this, people are more likely to repeat behavior that earns positive rewards.

We have recently seen a change in the way that drug abuse and addiction are viewed. Considering addiction to be a chronic and relapsing disease is a new concept for the public, policymakers, and even health care professionals (Leshner 46). With this in mind, we can recognize that corrections without the benefit of treatment will fall short in correcting drug-seeking and addictive behaviors (Leshner 46). These, of course, are also the behaviors that most often cause an individual to return to crimes that promote their drug use upon leaving jail or prison (Leshner

There is no doubt that crimes committed by these addicts are harmful to our society, but there is certain validation to course of their actions. So if people that have this addiction illness are ultimately incarcerated, it is the responsibility of our government to provide them with holistic treatment. This will provide purpose for the convicts that truly want to overcome their addiction and become contributing members of society once they are released. Our health and public polices can have positive change in the future if leaders followed the belief of New Jersey’s state Governor Christie, who fully supported drug and alcohol treatment because making this treatment “more available for everybody” was “part of government’s job”.

“Nearly ninety percent of substance abusers”, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health”, do not believe that they need treatment (Gogek). If they are offered treatment instead of jail, “they’ll relapse back to drugs and alcohol, commit other crimes, and end up back in prison” (Gogek). Jail, as a threat, is needed in order to keep “addicted criminals” in “long-term recovery”(Gogek). Involuntary treatment, has been shown to be more successful those who chose to get treatment voluntarily. Furthermore, drug offenders that are told that failure of their recovery could mean a return back to prison “are twice as likely to complete

With substance abusers, they require different needs than the non abusers in prison or jails. Some may require some medical help. The medical help could help with withdraws that abusers will face while in jail or prison. They also need to see if there is any underlying mental illness. They also require more time with therapists, and others, since they should seek more time and help. They should also get group based programs, so that some can get the help and guidance they need from other inmates. Since others going through a program can relate more and share their story and how they have

They have access to skilled staff members and other supportive program participants, making the process of recovery more amiable. Once the detoxification process is complete, the person is ready to work on addressing their underlying issues. Working through these issues during short term inpatient rehab helps prevent them from resurfacing after treatment is complete. The program participant can expect individual counseling sessions as well as group therapy during their time in treatment. Upon completion of their drug rehab program, the graduate has a clearer perspective on their life and how to maintain their

For those addicts who want rehabilitation, finding a bed in a treatment center is a challenge; thus, many become frustrated and continue on a path of destruction. If addicts commit a criminal offense, the courts provide assistance. Due to the over- crowding of jails and prisons, many states are increasing the level of supervision, the level of drug treatment, and the intensity of probation at the front end as a formula to put broken people on the right track, piece by piece.

Treating offender for substance use also increases public safety. Offenders who complete substance abuse treatment, particularly in residential or DTAP programs, are significantly less likely to commit crimes (McVay, et al., 2004). Furthermore, they are less likely to engage in the distribution or use of alcohol and drugs. Not treating a drug-abusing offender is a missed opportunity to simultaneously improve both public health and safety (Chandler, Fletcher, Volkow, 2009, p. 183).

Scientific research shows that treatment can help many drug using offenders change their attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors; avoid relapse; and successfully remove themselves from a life of substance use and crime. Treatment can cut drug use in half, decrease criminal activity, and reduce arrests. It is true that legal pressure might be needed to get a person into treatment and help them stay there. Once in a treatment program, however, even those who are not initially motivated to change can become engaged in a continuing treatment process. In fact, research suggests that mandated treatment can be just as effective as voluntary admission to rehab centers.

The use of criminal restrictions for drug related crimes is not always an entirely punitive tool, and that penalties, or even the threat of them, often urge individuals struggling with addiction or substance abuse to get the treatment they might never seek or receive on their own, therefore increasing their opportunities to become productive members of society. In fact, more than one-third of all treatment referrals in the U.S.