Treatment is More Effective Than Jail for Drug Offenders Essay

One of the most profound problems that plagues our society is drug addiction. With drug addiction comes those who offend and have run-ins with the law. Our country deals with these drug-addicted offenders by placing them in jails for a year or longer, only to have them come back out to society when their sentence is over. They are still drug-addicts and so they return to the street only to commit yet another crime. From here the cycle of crime, arrest, jail, and return to society continues, solving absolutely nothing. Therefore, placing drug-addicted offenders in jails fails to confront the major problem at hand which is that of the drug abuse. If drug-addicted offenders were placed in drug treatment centers instead of being incarcerated, the problem of drug abuse would have a much higher opportunity to be flushed from the offender's life. Thus, the chance of that the offender would commit another crime for drugs would be reduced. The felonies that were committed by these drug addicts are usually due to the fact that they want to help fill their cravings for the drug. These drug addicts will commit crimes in order to support their addiction for the present moment. ?An estimated 61,000 (16%) convicted jail inmates committed their offenses to get money for drugs? (?Drug?). This is why when they are caught for committing these felonies and arrested, throwing them in jail is completely pointless. For one, what exactly will a few months or years do to these offenders? The sentence will most certainly not cure them of their addiction. Drug users pose major crime threats by robbing and stealing to support their habits, but treatment provides a greater potential than incarceration for dealing with the underlying addiction that drives t... ... of Rehabilitation: Promises and Perils of Drug Courts.? es1/nij/181412.pdf>. Riley, Mark. ?Move to Treat, Not Punish, Drug Addicts.? . Sacbee Local News. Furillo, Andy. ?Treat, Don?t Jail, Illegal Drug Users? Group Wants Measure on Ballot.? . Seven, Richard. ?Drug Court Gvies Addicts an Alternative to Jail.? /drugcort.html>. ?Summary Assessment of the Drug Court Experience.? s/spa/justice/publications/just1.htm>. ?Treatment is More Effective, Less Expensive That Jail for Drug Offenders, Says Doctors Group.? . Wood, Daniel B. ?Kinks in California?s Shift to Drug Treatment.? Christian Science Monitor.