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May 2018

Incarceration Vs. Treatment Part Four Of Five

Leave a Comment / Abuse, Addiction, Drug Abuse, Incarceration, Treatment / By

Incarceration Vs. Treatment Part Four Of Five: Treatment Helping to Build Communities In part three of this series, it was mentioned that the economic advantage of treatment toward communities does not have a price tag. Treatment does, however, have a positive effect on communities across America. Research reflected in the Justice Policy Institute’s 2004 research study proves that treatment helps to improve communities, backed up with research from a variety of different entities. The studies began by citing a Maryland government funded agency, the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Administration (ADAA). The agency, looking over the facilities they funded, found that fewer people committed crimes while attending rehabilitation activities within the agencies. Arrest rates for those in the programs were lower, and those who completed the program continued to maintain low to no arrests after treatment. DTAP, a rehabilitation facility in Brooklyn, NY, saw a 50% graduation rate and fewer reported crimes for those in the program and for the graduates. These individuals were integrated into society, had assistance in finding jobs, were able to be parents to their children, and were taught to make a positive contribution to their neighborhoods. These are opportunities which would have been missed with incarceration. In fact, the federal government reports that treatment facility graduates show a 50% decline in drug-related arrests, with a two thirds decline in other types of arrest. Criminal behavior was also found to decline through the Justice Policy Institute study for those who received treatment. An astounding 90 percent of people who were helped to become better citizens reduced criminal behavior, according to this study. While relapse is possible, as discussed earlier, it is less likely that a user will commit crimes when treated than when incarcerated. NBC News reported that 40% of prisoners commit crimes and go back to prison after incarceration, harming communities after jail time. Many programs help addicts become productive members of society, helping to find jobs, homes, and stay away from drugs. The programs follow through and don’t simply release addicts into society; the communities benefit through the additional assistance of finding a job and finding a place to live away from the pressure of drugs or alcohol. The benefits of treatment over incarceration to a community do not have a price tag, but they do have a value. If you’d like to talk more about treatment and its effect on communities, contact Vancouver Home Health Care Agency today. At Vancouver Home Health Care Agency, Caring and Compassion is our business.

Incarceration Vs. Treatment Part Three Of Five

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Incarceration Vs. Treatment Part Three Of Five: The Cost Effectiveness of Treatment Broken Down Part two of this series reviewed how treatment costs less than incarceration. However, the Justice Policy Institute released an in-depth look at the overall cost effectiveness of treatment, and found that, dollar for dollar, treatment is better. The study found that, when using a cost-benefit analysis, treatment benefited employment rates, tax revenues, and society as a whole. The study discovered that drug treatment programs inside a prison only yielded a benefit of approximately two dollars for every dollar spent on the program. However, outside treatment programs, such as a work release program, yielded a nearly nine dollar benefit for every dollar spent. Additionally, individuals attending programs outside prison tend to finish the programs, as compared to in prison programs, and have lower recidivism rates. A number of other programs were found to be cost effective as well, such as community-based substance abuse treatment, intensive supervision programs, work release, and post-incarceration programming. The study did find, however, that some programs showed no significant payback on dollars spent, such as case management substance abuse programs. The economic benefits of individuals living in the communities, building families, and working to provide back into the local economy was not measured in this study, however, it is recognized as an advantage to the community. While it is difficult to measure this advantage, it is still noted that having people at home rather than tying up the prison system is preferable after their rehabilitation measures are completed. Basically, these programs return nearly eight dollars in benefits to society for every one dollar spent on treatment. It makes economic sense, when broken down into these numbers, to choose treatment over incarceration. The research is available and it is conclusive, so taxpayers are beginning to turn their attention to treatment and how to allocate government funds to treatment programs over incarceration. If you’d like to talk more about the economic breakdown of rehabilitation, contact Vancouver Home Health Care Agency today. At Vancouver Home Health Care Agency, Caring and Compassion is our business.

Incarceration Vs. Treatment Part Two Of Five

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Incarceration Vs. Treatment Part Two Of Five: Treatment is Less Expensive than Incarceration This is the second part of a five part series on treatment versus incarceration, based on a 2004 study completed by the Justice Policy Institute in Maryland. The findings of the study remain true today, because legislation has not budged in its insistence on incarcerating low-level drug offenders. However, the study found that treatment ordered for these individuals can be cheaper for taxpayers than incarceration of the same individuals. While the numbers are dated, the samples remain the same today. In 1997, the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, or CSAT, published a study to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment services offered by the US Department of Health and Human Services. The report found that the treatment proved cost effective, especially over incarceration. Costs, at that time, ranged from $1,500 per person to $6,500 per person. Even with inflation and today’s rates, that cost is still significantly less than incarceration. The United States government put it simply on its drugabuse.gov website, in today’s numbers. One year of methamphetamine rehabilitation costs $4,700 per patient, while one year of incarceration for the same person costs taxpayers $24,000 per person. It’s simple to see which option is the better financial option, and the least amount of burden on the taxpaying communities of every state in the nation. However, the question remains: do addicts return to their habits after rehabilitation? The sad answer is, yes, they do, however, as stated in part one of this series, addicts entering prison are more likely to commit a crime than those who enter rehabilitation. Therefore, even though the person may need repeated rehabilitation services, the cost will still remain lower than sending the same person to prison, risking their return to prison through crimes that would not have been committed if the person had simply went to rehabilitation. Unfortunately, drugabuse.gov tells us that 40-60% of users relapse after rehabilitation, however, even repeated visits to rehabilitation facilities equals less money spent than one year of incarceration. Many states are looking at treatment as an alternative to incarceration, especially as taxpayers realize the associated costs. Brooklyn, in New York City, has been using a rehabilitation option for nearly two decades, with higher rates of employment and small rates of repeated criminal activity. Drug addiction, when treated as a mental disease and not a crime, costs less for society, as the 2004 Justice Policy Institute study proves. The study’s findings hold true today, when a number of communities are turning to rehabilitation over incarceration. If you’d like to talk more about the cost of incarceration versus rehabilitation, contact Vancouver Home Health Care Agency today. At Vancouver Home Health Care Agency, Caring and Compassion is our business.

Incarceration Vs. Treatment Part One Of Five

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Incarceration Vs. Treatment Part One Of Five: The National Drug Imprisonment Problem In 2004, the state of Maryland, under the Justice Policy Institute, released a study titled, “Treatment or Incarceration?” While the study is dated, many of the points remain true today, because the study reveals that treatment triumphs over incarceration. This is the first of five articles discussing the study, its findings, and how treatment is always better than incarceration, especially in saving state funds. Many states across the nation face fiscal challenges, in part due to the number of drug incarcerations in state prisons. Due to the funds being allocated to prisoners and not to research, states cannot properly research why drug offenders repeatedly find themselves in prison. Many taxpayers are frustrated by the vortex that is drug imprisonment: people are imprisoned, offered no rehabilitation, and are released to become repeat offenders. Many citizens are in favor of judges ordering treatment rather than incarceration, however, more government funds are being allocated to prison over treatment centers. Many treatment centers remain private pay facilities. In Maryland, and across the country, people understand that the prison system is clogged with addicts, not necessarily criminals. Many citizens believe that the prison system can be cleaned out and funds can be reassigned if the government were willing to pay for rehabilitation instead of incarceration. A growing number of people are calling for drug addicts to get help, not locked up, and the reason is because people believe jail is harmful. A number of people polled in the Maryland 2004 study believed that incarcerated individuals are more likely to commit crimes after prison time than before prison. Studies prove that this is true. In 2002, the New York Times reported that the rate of released inmates who commit repeat crimes continues to rise. This means that a drug addict, who may not have committed any major crimes before prison, is far more likely to commit crimes after release from prison, even if the charge is only for the possession of illegal drugs. The same person may not commit any crimes if the sentence were for a rehabilitation facility instead. Unfortunately, not enough studies exist to determine the percentage of people who commit crimes after rehabilitation. The United States government counters these arguments by stating that some violent offenses are committed while the person is on drugs. While this is true, and those people should be incarcerated, it is also true that non-violent people clog the prison system. Those who have never committed a violent act are sent to prison for using and selling drugs when rehabilitation would be far more beneficial. Rehabilitation benefits in other ways as well, as highlighted in the rest of this series of articles on rehabilitation versus incarceration. If you’d like to talk more about rehabilitation versus incarceration, contact Vancouver Home Health Care Agency today. At Vancouver Home Health Care Agency, Caring and Compassion is our business.    

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