...ENG 105 Why Rehabilitation Works and Imprisonment Does Not The drug epidemic is something that has affected many families all over the world. Drug abuse puts a lot of stress on parents, brothers, sisters, and grandparents – anyone who is part of the home (“Alcohol”). Along with the drug epidemic comes the criminal activity to obtain the drugs. Our nation’s prison population has exploded beyond capacity and most inmates are in prison, in large part, because of substance abuse: 80% of offenders abuse drugs or alcohol; nearly 50% of jail and prison inmates are clinically addicted; approximately 60% of individuals are arrested for most types of crimes test positive for illegal drugs at arrest (“Alcohol”). Although the current system emphasizes putting addicts in jail, it would be more beneficial for them and society to enter into inpatient rehabilitation. The relationship between drugs and crime is very complex. At the most intense levels of drug use, drugs and crimes are directly and highly connected. Serious drug use can amplify and prolong preexisting criminal activity. There are essentially three types of crimes related to drugs: Use-Related crime: These are crimes that result from or involve individuals who ingest drugs, and who commit crimes as a result of the effect the drug has on their processes and behavior. Economic-Related crime: These are crimes where an individual commits a crime in order to fund a drug habit. These include theft and prostitution. System-Related...
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...“Prisons versus rehabilitation centers” is an ongoing debate worldwide, and the answer to this question is far from clear. Drug addiction is said to be a brain disease that affects behavior, the brain’s anatomy and chemistry. These brain changes interfere with your ability to think clearly, control your behavior, and feel normal without drugs. While under the influence of drugs, some people commit acts that they would not normally do. So does that mean a person addicted to drugs should not be held accountable for their actions? Rehabilitation offers to change a person’s negative lifestyle habits into positive ones, by correcting the behavior of offenders through treatment, education, and counseling. For that first and second time nonviolent, simple drug possession offenders, drug abuse treatment in a rehabilitation canter can be effective. The same cannot be said for a repeat drug offender and a person under the influence of drugs that commits a criminal offense. People are sent to prison for committing crimes. Why should a drug abuser committing crimes be any different? Drug offenders should be held accountable for their actions and sent to prison. Prisons detour recidivism, as well as, provide specialized services and programs to meet the needs of the offender. Drug addiction is a problem in our society, and it is spread in almost every country over the world. People who are addicted feel an overwhelming, uncontrollable dependence for the drug, and will continue...
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...Driving through country roads, you get a glimpse of people who seem to be living the American dream, but do you ever wonder what is beyond the white picket fences? What kind of struggles do they face? Later, you find out that, inside the house you once dreamed about, the mother is an alcoholic and the children are drug dealers. It destroys the romance you had envisioned. In recent years, drug use has spiked in America, specifically Appalachia. The effects are detrimental to their society. The increase in drug abuse in Appalachia results in the rise of home instability, incarceration rates, and death rates. Home instability plays a sizable role in the cycle of drug problems in Appalachia. J.D. Vance in Hillbilly Elegy attests to this statement...
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...Special Needs Roy Briston CJA/234 February 18, 2014 Prisoners with Special Needs There are many inmates in prisons that have different special needs. Some of these needs are based on whether the inmates are male or female. Males have some special needs to take care of their selves that females do not and vice versa. Then there are those who suffer from a mental illness. Their special needs are much different than those who have basic needs. People who suffer from substance abuse have needs in the area of addiction. All these different kinds of people with diverse needs effect the jails and prisons in various ways. If people were not cared for properly there would be negative repercussions. There are programs in prisons that allow these prisoners to be cared for properly. There are many special needs prisoners, one that many are familiar with are the mentally ill, and substance abusing. In 1955 there weren’t any mental institutions being built, and there were forty that were shut down about a decade ago. As of today there were more prisons opening up, and many people seemed the most qualified to care for and house these patients. Today prisons have taken on the lead role of caring for mentally ill patients, housing 45,000 in prison to 3,000 in mental institutions. Rehabilitation programs are lacking in the mentally ill category, therefore mentally ill prisoners usually return to prison. There are many inmates in prisons that have different special needs. Some of...
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...Maranda Harris Chris Bishop English 1302 12 October 2014 Should Non Violent Drug Offenders Be Imprisoned? With so much overcrowding and financial problems, it is obvious that non-violent offenders should not be incarcerated but instead they should be offered alternatives to incarceration. This argument will discuss the benefits of offering another option to offenders who have not committed a violent offense. Rehabilitation has been proven to be an effective alternative when offered to non violent offenders who are usually addicts. By incarcerating people who are not a threat to others and have not committed a violent crime we are simply wasting space in prisons that could be better used to house violent offenders such as murderers and rapists. In addition to wasting space, every state that continues to jail non violent offenders is wasting money. They are wasting money not only for salaries of correctional facility employees but also on housing and feeding these inmates. The amount of money it takes to keep a person imprisoned for one year is unbelievable. The average cost to house an inmate in California over one year is $47,102. (Brown, 2009) In Wisconsin that number is $31,806, much closer to the national average. (National institute of corrections, 2008) Think of all the money that could be saved by referring non violent offenders to rehabilitation instead of putting them in jail. Even with all the spending done each year on inmates, they are just as likely to...
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...Overcrowding in Prisons. Overcrowding in prisons is one of the biggest challenges facing the American criminal justice system today. The total population of prisons and jails in the United States neared the 2.1 million mark in June 2003, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). The Bureau of Justice Statistics reported incarceration rates of state and federal prisoners continued to rise. At midyear 2003, the number of sentenced inmates was 480 per 100,000 U.S. residents, up from 476 per 100,000 on December 31, 2002. There were 238 jail inmates for every 100,000 on June 30, 2003. Overall, one out of every 140 U.S residents was incarcerated in prison or in jail. During the late 1980’s and early 1990’s state and local governments got tougher on crime by passing legislation calling for mandatory sentences for repeat offenders, such as California’s “three strikes you’re out” law and New York and other cities adopted the “Broken Windows” strategy that called for the arrest and prosecution of all crimes large and small. Because of these polices the number of violent crimes has dropped. Unfortunately, one unintended consequence of America’s new tough stance on crime is that our prison system has become dangerously overcrowded, forcing prison officials to release violent criminals after serving...
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...Rehab Vs. Incarceration Should drug offenders go to rehab or jail? ITT Technical Institute Abstract This document will show why non-violent drug offenders should be given a chance to rectify their wrong doings. The research will show not only how rehabilitation programs such as DTAP are more cost effective and beneficial to an addict than prison sentences. The introduction will show how addiction can change a person so much so they end up in jail. The second and third sections will show the differences between prison and DTAP programs, while the conclusion will summarize the research findings. Rehab Vs. Incarceration Should drug offenders go to rehab or jail? Addiction Addiction has become an open conversation in America. Millions of Americans have been effected by addiction in some way or another. Many people know someone who has been effected by this terrible disease whether it be a parent, partner, sibling or friend or may have been affected themselves. This researcher has seen first-hand what addiction can do to a person. While these people stand on the sidelines watching the person they know and love turn into someone completely unrecognizable. When an addiction starts it may just be using on the weekends, here and there, or as the doctor prescribes. As time ticks on, it becomes twice as many as prescribed and before they know it, it has become every day. Eventually, they have no way to support their habit. Because their life has become such chaos there’s no...
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...government, and explain how to justify to the tax-paying public an increase in expenditures on prison treatment and rehabilitation programs. To respond to this assignment, the student undertook desk research, wrote and submitted this paper. Keywords: prison treatment, rehabilitation programs, cost, expense, investment Introduction: The context for extra spending Many sections of the United States government over the past several years have experienced severe budget cuts due the Great Recession. Some education departments have experienced double digit percentage cuts, leading to layoffs among both faculty and administrative personnel. Hospitals, public transportation, and many other government departments have experienced layoffs, working hour reductions, cuts in pay, and cuts in resourcing. With these cost-reduction measures imposed in many government departments, it would be difficult to persuade the tax-paying public that anything currently deserves an increase in spending. If most parts of society must cut back on budgets and services, why should the public tolerate extra spending to help those who have actively broken the law? Many would argue that preference should be given to extra spending for law-abiding citizens. This paper explores how to justify to the tax-paying public an increase in expenditure on prison treatment and rehabilitation programs, and finds that the most effective method is to demonstrate to the public that increased spending on such programs...
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...Drug Activity and Rehabilitation in Texas Prisons Amy Garza COM/172 June 30, 2014 Carrie Kendall Drug Activity and Rehabilitation in Texas Prisons The state of Texas has over 40 state prisons, and over 15 state jails. Among these facilities 30% of incoming inmates in 2011 were sentenced for drug offenses. While serving time in Texas prisons, some inmates resume their illegal drug activity for many reasons and refuse rehabilitation. Oddly enough, “the state of Texas has one of the lowest drug treatment admission rates, but one of the highest incarceration rates in the country” (Dunklee, Leete, J.D., & Renaud, M.S.S.W, 2013). These facts express how drug activity, both in and out of prison, is an ongoing dilemma. Rehabilitation programs are offered but inmates cannot be forced to open up to such teachings. The system serves as a revolving door for illegal drug use and trade. There are many reasons why people become involved with illegal drug activity behind bars. One of the most popular reasons why inmates continue to break the law is because of money. Statistics show that over 58% of men incarcerated in Texas are fathers. Assuming that most inmates lie about such facts on government surveys, it is estimated that the true number of incarcerated men who have children is much higher. “These men are used to selling drugs, or other such fast money schemes. To think that they will be satisfied with a high school diploma and the financial security it offers is ludicrous”...
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...African-American Males, Incarceration and Structural African-American Males, Incarceration and Structural Inequality Incarceration in the United States is one of the main forms of punishment or as many would like to state forms of rehabilitation. With that being the case, the United States, while being considered one of the most powerful and influential countries in the world boasts the highest “rehabilitation” rate in the world. The staggering part remains that not only do we have the highest prison population but our incarceration rate continues to grow as our creativity or desire to solve this problem continues to stagnate. One of the major issues when researching incarceration rates is the obvious elevated rate of young African-American males that are sentenced. While the percentage of African-American incarcerated males is extremely high the length of their sentences are shockingly elevated compared to the majority of population in the United States. “One in every nine African-American males aged 25-29 were in prison or jail in 2009, compared to one in twenty-seven Latino males and one in sixty white males in the same age group, according to the Sentencing Project”. ("State of Young America," 2009, para. 11) The question currently being dealt with in the United States is how do we accommodate all of these prisoners? Our countries answer has been quite simple, to build more prisons or as some would sugarcoat it, “rehabilitation facilities”. The correct question...
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...Joycene Harrell CRM-430 Term Paper Week 5 Draft Summary for Prison Rehabilitation and Counseling Programs I chose to focus this term paper on the various programs offered to prisoners as part of their rehabilitation for introduction back into society. In today’s world there are many who believe that every one can be rehabilitated. The question should be asked; “does rehabilitation really work for everyone?” I will provide statistics on the success and failure rate, as well as which programs are most beneficial to prisoners. Whether rehabilitation and counseling works or not, something has to be done to assist prisoners in order for them to lead a normal life upon their release. I will discuss some of the many programs offered by various states ranging from “Pets in Prison” to obtaining college degrees. I will explain the various types of counseling offered to sex offenders, pedophiles and murderers. Those are a few topics I feel should have special interest in the counseling/rehabilitation area. I am sure most would agree that prisoners should receive some type of counseling and rehabilitation, but where do you draw the line on the rehabilitation services offered? Should the money from taxpayers be used to fund certain types of programs, how does the prison system decide who gets to participate in which programs, and how can counselors and judicial boards ensure there will be no regression? Those are just a couple of questions that will be answered...
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...The first recommendation for China’s heroin epidemic is to focus on the justice system. The system is here to help individuals, and hurt them. Placing individuals in a cell until the police feels like they are okay to be release. China can focus on rehabilitation instead of incarceration. China already have a law in place to deal with addiction. According to J. Meng, S. Burris, (2013), China has five laws: (1) Addicts must register and monitored with a tracking device by the police. The pro to this law is that you can tell where your addicts are always, but the con is that China is controlling them as if they were in prison. Here is the problem that China does not realize, it that people need to be in an institution to help with support and...
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...Recovery from Active Addiction: Is It a Personal Choice? Addicts are more likely to achieve long-term recovery from active addiction when the choice to abstain is made by them not for them. Recovery is a choice that only the addict can make, but some may need persuading. More often than not, complete abstinence is not achieved until after many failed attempts. “Treatment does not have to be voluntary to be effective,” as stated on the website www.drugabuse.gov. Successful long-term recovery results once self-will and self-control have been completely surrendered, the desire for recovery overbears the desire to use and by the addict’s daily choice to never use substances again. Fourteen years of active addiction and multiple drug offenses later, I have personally experienced the success of recovery as a choice. The above theory has been confirmed by a first-hand experience. Daily I make the decision to abstain from using my substance of choice and any other mind-altering substances. In the past, I attempted to go to treatment and actively participated in my recovery. Successful abstinence was short-term due to my lack of commitment. Eventually, the option to choose was stripped of me by the legal system; abstinence was no longer my choice. Being court ordered to a residential rehabilitation center, I actively participated and realized recovery was possible. Abstinence had been my choice and I surrendered. Many other addicts I have encountered in recovery have stated, “No matter...
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...Miranda Armenta 1.12.17 Per. 3 Rehabilitation works better than incarceration The juvenile criminal system has changed a lot throughout the years. The system then went from trying to help inmates and probationers get their life back on track now to an alarming punitive system. Rehabilitation increases the chances of turning a juvenile's life around rather than punishing them with jail time. Studies have even proven that rehabilitation services for young juveniles have a bigger impact than punishment. This system lacks the nurturing aspect of rehabilitation to help truly good people out of a bad place. It's gotten harder and harder to keep rehabilitation in and out of jails. Most jails don't even have enough professional mental evaluation...
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...paper leans heavily in favor of life imprisonment as a cheaper form of punishment verses an inmate being sentenced to death row. The judicial system and politicians have formed several alternatives to assist our country with the ability to lower the cost of housing an inmate in our prison system. For example, the United States detaining systems are concentrating more on issuing a fair sentence to nonviolent offenders, such as, substance abusers and prostitutes. They realize that the majority of the inmates are in need of drug rehabilitation and have a mental illness. Also, the research shows that women offenders are the most affected with drug addiction and substance abuse. They also have the greater risk of recidivism and mental illness, due to, the drug addiction and substance abuse. The judicial system formed an alternative called “sex courts” to address the situation with female prostitutes. The alternative addressed the need of therapeutic rehabilitation (drug treatment and mental health counseling), instead of, incarcerating the...
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