It’s an interesting contradiction that at the same times as critics are railing against unreasonable sentences for drug-related crimes, many people seem to be arrested over and over again and never do any real time. If you live in a poorer area, or somewhere where the prisons are seriously overcrowded, you’ve probably heard someone say, while shaking their head despondently, “Why won’t they keep those people in jail? They just get out and start using again.” But does doing time actually make people stop doing drugs?
It’s hard for most of us to reconcile that part of our brain that knows addiction is a complex disease, and that addicts are human beings who deserve help, with that part that’s just sick and tired of certain people seeming to escape jail time again and again, only so they can continue using or selling drugs. In many communities, nearly all the crime is driven by people stealing to finance their drug habits or committing violent acts that are in some way drug-related. If you believe the stated purposes of prison – retribution, incapacitation, deterrence, and rehabilitation, then shouldn’t people come out the other side reformed?
Unfortunately, the truth is that prison often makes things worse for addicts. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, about 65 percent of people who are incarcerated are known to have a substance use disorder, but very few of them have access to treatment while in prison. In fact, only 11 percent of inmates in the U.S. who need addiction treatment actually receive it. In some states, people who are arrested while they are in the middle of medication assisted treatment are forced to stop, and they’ll end up going through withdrawal and then being more likely to relapse. There’s also the potential for people to overdose in prison, if they’re able to have someone smuggle drugs in for them.
So, not only does going to jail not help people with substance abuse problems, it can make things considerably worse for them. But what can we do instead? One option is to send people to rehabilitation centers instead of prison. Many jurisdictions have special drug courts just for this purpose. Research indicates that offenders who are ordered by the courts to attend substance abuse treatment programs are over ten times more likely to complete treatment compared to those who entered treatment voluntarily. It’s possible that the threat of jail and/or significant fines is enough to keep people from dropping out early. Unfortunately, these programs are not always up to par. According to a 2014 study, only 4.6 percent of people referred to opioid treatment programs by U.S. courts received methadone or buprenorphine. Like so many problems related to the drug epidemic, there’s no easy answer here.
If you or a loved one need help with quitting drugs or alcohol, consider Asana Recovery. We offer medical detox, along with both residential and outpatient programs, and you’ll be supervised by a highly trained staff of medical professionals, counselors, and therapists. Call us any time at (949) 438-4504 to get started.
