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Drug Addicts Need Rehabilitation Not Incarceration

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Submitted By monkeywuv1
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Drug Addicts Need Rehabilitation Not Incarceration
Drug addiction is a dependence on an illegal drug or medication and unfortunately causes an intense craving for the drug. These cravings can be so extreme that it causes users to find any means possible to get the drug which can easily lead to criminal activity and charges, which ultimately leads to time spent behind bars. Jails and prisons within the United States are already overpopulated, and drug addicts are just adding to the already extremely high numbers. In order to help alleviate this problem there needs to be some changes made with the way addicts are dealt with. Some serious thought needs to be given as to why the justice system chooses to incarcerate addicts instead of sentencing them to court mandated rehabilitation centers. By doing this, the addict would be forced to face the real issue which landed the individual in the situation to begin with, the addiction. Addicts need to be offered some sort of rehabilitation, whether it is inside or outside, only offering incarceration with no rehabilitation should not be an option. Without the addict dealing with the addiction head on, there is a slim chance of becoming productive members of society and a greater chance of making another appearance behind the prison walls.
When it comes to whether addicts should be offered treatment or not, and if so where, whether it be in prison or outside, if they should be offered any at all, opinions vary quite drastically. Many people feel that it’s not the taxpayer’s responsibility to assist an addict in getting clean. Then there are those who feel that help should be given, but on the inside, and the other side feels outside rehabilitation is needed. The majority of people tend to think that outside rehabilitation is the best option, with the belief that “being in prison does absolutely nothing to address the source of

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