Prison or Rehabilitation??

Question

Take a drug addict for instance...
Its so much cheaper to put him/her on a rehabilitation scheme that to lock em up.
And you might say it doesnt achieve any but for many people neither does prison

Answer 1

There are two issues going on.

First the American people have lost all respect for the law. Prohibition in the 20s did a great deal to change people's opinions of laws and turn respect for the law into a joke. The 55 mph speed limit and the laws against drugs like Marajuana have removed all traces of respect for the law from most people.

Law enforcement itself is oppressive against the poor. The poor are not protected by cops, they need protection from cops.

Third you have to reform the crooks running the justice system to have a chance at reforming the inhabitents of the justice system. How can prison inmates watching wardens taking bribes, often loading food paid for by the prison system or goods made in the system into private trucks to be sold for the benifit of the Warden's personal pocketbook? Now try to tell them to go honest. Minor crimes wind up imprisoned with hardened crimanals. The system itself creates immense anger among the incarcerated.

Next most who go in because of drugs are not really there because of a drug problem. They might have been caught selling drugs. Might have had a large quanity of drugs. The reality is that most people are quite happy and in control of their drug habits. The exceptions being the more addictive drugs like crack and herion. Changing the environment and screening for those with real addictions will make more sense. The guy in prison for weed probably has no drug problem, instead they have education, anti-authority and economic problems. So if you get him to quit smoking weed you just changed the crime not the problem.

So the first reform would be to ban lawyers from writing laws. Many people are in trouble with the law and even prison for laws they could not understand or for laws they felt were unjust.

Economically roads need to be there for alterntive means out of poverty. There will always be those who take the quick money, but the majority of people are in crime because of socio or economic reasons. They grow up with cops on their backs even when they are doing nothing wrong. Their friends, relitives, often parents going back multiple generations are in prison or ex-cons. It's become a family tradition and in some neighborhoods it's expected to do time sooner or later. That or die on the street. You have to break up that social acceptance of crime. While laws are unjust and enforcement so heavy against the poor it will be construed as racism and as oppression. There has to be legitimate outs for such people and changing the social jail from one with bars to one without bars doesn't change the incarceration.

Prisons are a manifestation of corruption in this nation. They cost us dearly. Every person spends probably %10-20 of their income dealing with the way we handle law in this nation and it's enforcement. Publicly people like our last two presidents are openly bought. Corporations like Microsoft openly taunt the world with illegal activties. Well known celeberties commit felonies and walk away to write books about how they got away with it. How then can you tell a youngster not to steal? Not to do what the big crooks are doing? With a cops thieving, beating and harrassing those around them. With a school system that attempts to dehumanize it's patrons and offers little actual useful skills for work and career. With college nothing but a dream for so many in this nation. Jobs scarce and the fragmentation of our ethnic, religious and political groups. It's a wonder anybody who starts poor bothers to ever get a job. Then when released an offender comes out with nothing, knowing nobody sometimes but other offenders and with limited job opportunities. Of course they are going to get into more trouble.

I agree totally with you about it being better to rehabilitate. However to rehabilitate you have to take care of the root causes. As our economy crumbles crime will shoot up again. As tensions increase between various groups again you will see crime rates accelerate. So this is an issue that needs solutions right now before the sheer weight of our criminal justice system crushes the country.

Fair laws, fair encorcement, opportunity and a justice system as uncorrupt as we can make it which cares about guilt and innocence. That is what we need as a start. Then we can build successful programs to combat recidivism.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

Consider the many drug offenders who are addicts and on some type of probation. It has been demonstrated repeatedly that many of these addicts cannot achieve sobriety through an outpatient treatment program. On the other hand, residential inpatient treatment has helped numerous serious drug addicts and alcoholics achieve sobriety and pursue rehabilitation. Now, let’s consider the cost. One of the best substance abuse treatment centers in Texas, called CTTC, typically provides treatment and counseling to serious addicts for a period of 3 to 6 months. The cost ranges from $20,000 to $30,000 per person. This is not a for-profit facility and is run by the local probation department. Most of the expenses for treatment and to keep the facility operating are paid for by the taxpayers. By the way, CTTC is always at maximum capacity with an 8 week waiting list. So, don't let anyone tell you that drugs don't hurt society, they do. Now, consider that the average cost to incarcerate a person in a Texas prison is $36 per day, or $6480 for 6 months. Clearly, Treatment is much more expensive ($30,000 versus $6480 for 6 months). However, if substance abusers do not receive treatment, achieve sobriety, and pursue rehabilitation then they are just going to get in more and probably worse trouble. This will just result in more cost to society. So, in Texas we have built prisons called SAFP facilities (Substance Abuse Felony Prison) facilities. These prisons only incarcerate felony substance abusers and the focus is sobriety and rehabilitation. It costs more than a regular prison facility to operate but much less than a residential inpatient treatment facility. I am not saying that we have found the answer. What I want to convey is that the answers to drug addiction and recovery are very complex and expensive. Thanks for the question, it is definitely pertinent.

Answer 4

You can't rehabilitate someone until they are sorry for what they have done. Drug addicts don't go to prison, criminals do. If the cause of their crime is an attempt to feed a habit then a programme to ween them off drugs may help, but only if they want to change. As with all well intentioned initiatives it is impossible to establish who really wants to change from those who simply want to 'work the system' or avoid worse punishment until you see re-offender rates. This is where we might (as a society) benefit from clearer corralation between repeat offences and incrimental sentences. At present there doesn't appear to be any relationship between the type of offence committed and the punishment given. The calculation seems to be based on 'cost' instead of the end result wanted. Which is a change of desire by the offender. Prison is about punishment (redress or 'revenge' for the victim and a break for the rest of society) After punishment can come rehabilitation if they are sorry for what they have done, as opposed to being sorry for getting caught. The sentencing programme should distinguish clearly between these two elements with the judge deciding on the length of punishment then experts informing the judge on the likely timescale needed to effect reform (this part will be individual and based mostly on the character involved). Obviously there are no guarantees, but if criminals knew they could spend as much time or more in a semi-secure environment (curfew in a prison after 5pm) as they spent in prison they might take stock of what they really wanted from life.

Answer 5

I guess it depends on if the rehab for the addict works (the addict can remain free from drug use) or if it is just a way for the person to avoid incarceration until a later time.
I know people who did recover from drug addiction and didn't go back to the criminal lifestyle they previously had to support their addiction. I know others who didn't and can't seem to regardless of the consequences.
Other criminals such as murderers, rapists and pedophiles... how do you rehab them? Spending their time in prision surrounded by like minded people doesn't seem like a good environment for rehabing anyone. However, there are few other options as these folks are dangerous to others. I do think though that even under the best of circumstances rehab isn't highly possible because of the psychological problems (personality disorders mostly) that these people suffer from are not able to be cured for the most part.

Answer 6

I agree. The Liberal do gooders are the reason this country is in the state its in. Very few prisoners are rehabilitated so obviously it does'nt work for all. We should introduce some hard labour boot camps instead of giving them games consoles, dvds etc and all their home comforts. Prison should be a place where you do not want to ever go again.

Answer 7

Drug addiction constitutes no crime. The crimes commited during addiction are criminal acts just the same. The only crime an addict commits by becoming an addict is one against themselves, by stealing time from the life God gave them as a gift. Rehabilitation is a great option for those who appreciate it. Prison is a great option for those who don't. Nothing will help an individual until He/She wants to change.

Answer 8

sometimes prison may be the only answer to protect the public and themselves....but on the whole if rehabilitation is possible then that's much better than locking people up....after all a lot of criminal behaviour is learnt from peers so not too good an idea to heap a whole load of 'em together ....nothing like a criminal sharing best practise!!!!!

Answer 9

Drug addiction is self inflicted.
Why should tax payers pay for their rehabilitation, I would prefer that they, when arrested for a crime, they should suffer the consequences of their self indulgence. It is possible that if all drug addicts were incarcerated and not allowed drugs/methadone they might change their ways.
Why should people with serious illnesses not have tax payers monies spent on them.
Their illness was not self inflicted.
If there is a referendum tomorrow I would vote to ban monies being spent on self indulgences, IE drugs/drink.

Answer 10

From the moral viewpoint I believe a drug user belongs in rehab,
as a tax payer this is the only sensible option. The problem occurs when society demands that an offender should be punished or penalised instead or as well.