Substance use treatment in the justice system offers a chance of recovery and will make a huge difference in reducing the toll of the opioid crisis. If you take away anything, understand this…people with SUD have a chronic relapsing brain disorder. SUD is not a moral failing, it is a treatable medical condition that can be successfully managed by combining medication with behavioral therapy, known as Medication Assisted Treatment or MAT.
Research shows that MAT is at least twice as effective as abstinence-based treatment that does not include medications. Incarcerated people have the right to medical care for SUD and jails and prisons as government institutions, are obligated to provide that treatment. Jails and prisons must address the systematic barriers that prevent them from fulfilling that responsibility.
The community needs to demand it. The prison system is antiquated and does not have a good track record of dealing with public health issues. That needs to change, and fast because failing to do so will allow the opioid epidemic to continue.
Jails have become a revolving door for individuals struggling with mental health and substance use disorders. Jails not only oversee individuals struggling with substance use disorders and withdrawal but represent perhaps the most unique place to initiate treatment from entry to release in a controlled, safe environment, arm inmates with recovery tools and resources to get individuals off drugs and on the path to long-term recovery. Incarceration-focused approaches to drug use are not rooted in evidence and have led to mass incarceration.
The criminalization of people who use substances or suffer from addiction just serves to perpetuate the stigma of addiction and prevent those with this disease from seeking treatment. A system appears to have been created in which those who fall into the web of addiction find themselves excluded and marginalized from the social mainstream, tainted with a moral stigma, and often unable to find treatment even when they may be motivated to want it.
MAT in the prison system is proven to be effective and creates a culture to ensure those with a criminal history are better equipped for productive, law-abiding futures, secure meaningful employment, acquire true closure after punishment is fulfilled, and avoid criminal behavior in the future. It is ethically incumbent upon everyone in the criminal justice system to recognize SUD, addiction not as a moral failing but as a treatable disease.
But jails can only help individuals begin that journey—communities must shepherd those in need through that journey. Society, stakeholders, all levels of government, and prison administrators need to open their hearts and minds to the fact there are proven scientific, evidence-based treatment options and allow prisons to become an essential touchpoint to help people successfully navigate the road to recovery. People need to get involved. Community activism is crucial to changing the prison system to make real drug rehabilitation and Medically Assisted Treatment easily accessible in prison.
Selling illicit substances often results in automatic legal action. Drug distribution of any kind is a serious offense. But getting caught while buying, possessing, or taking drugs often leads to legal action as well. Anyone involved with drugs in any of these manners will likely find themselves at least ticketed, if not arrested.
Operating a motor vehicle while under the influence is grounds for severe legal repercussions, too. The specific charges a person receives for their drug-related actions depend on a few factors. The type or types of drugs, the amount, the town or state where the person is, and any existence of previous charges all play a role. If ordered to appear in court, sentencing could be as simple as community service or a fine, or as severe as doing time in jail or prison.
They ended up getting caught in the one-off time they were involved with drugs. Most of them have existing substance or alcohol use problems. Drug addiction is a deep-seated issue.
Drug rehab is a much better alternative to jail time for many people struggling with addiction. Comparing the benefits of rehab vs. People who struggle with substance abuse and addiction are more likely to end up with drug charges. Once someone is charged with a drug-related crime they quickly find themselves wrapped up in the legal system. For some individuals, the cycle of addiction also involves an extensive cycle in the court system.
According to the Prison Policy Initiative, 1 out of 5 people incarcerated is doing time for a drug-related offense. People who carry a record have a harder time meeting their basic needs.
For example, looking for housing or finding a job often involves a background check. Seeing drug-related criminal charges will likely make a potential landlord or employer hesitate.
Someone trying to escape the cycle of addiction and rebuild their. Is locking up those with substance use disorder the most effective approach? People have little to no access to adequate drug rehabilitation while behind bars, especially compared to a qualified drug rehab facility. Offering offenders the option to attend drug rehab provides an alternative path to recovery for those who would end up trapped in the system for substances.
There is an alarming number of people doing time for charges related to drugs, often stemming from a struggle with drug addiction. Of the 1 in 5 people incarcerated for drug-related charges, , of them are locked up for nonviolent crimes, such as possession charges.
Their research showed that many possession charges result in a jail sentence of a year or longer. People battling drug addiction are at risk when simply carrying drugs. Possession could easily result in a charge of a year or more. This means people struggling with drug addiction find themselves not only locked up but locked up for months or years at a time.
Turning drug addiction into a legal matter makes it more challenging to overcome the problem. Additionally, there are very few resources in terms of treatment within the jail and prison systems. People who come into jail under the influence have little access to proper medical attention.
They often end up spending the course of their detox period without much medical support for their drug withdrawal symptoms. The American Public Health Association revealed that only 11 percent of those struggling with addiction receive treatment while behind bars. If little to nothing is done to address their reason for arrest in the first place, how will that keep them from ending up in jail again? Sending individuals with substance use disorders to jail does little to help them get or stay clean.
There are still ways to find most drugs behind bars. Those who must be in jail should at least be granted access to treatment along with their sentence. This way, the system may be able to prevent individuals from cycling back into prison.
At the end of the day, we can fight substance abuse by helping people become drug-free; and right now, a rehabilitation facility is the best place to achieve that goal. If you or a loved one is suffering from substance abuse and is currently in the prison system, get more information about rehab programs by calling us at Skip to content. Get Addiction Treatment Help Today! Call Instagram Twitter Facebook.
Rehab Vs. Oct 5 Rehabilitation for Addiction Because of the positive effects of rehabilitation centers, psychologists have been bringing some of their practices to inmates with addictions. Comparing Both Facilities If someone is suffering from a substance abuse issue, they are likely to have very different experiences in a jail versus a rehabilitation facility.
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