The benefits of rehabilitation

Author: Carlos Santiago
Published: Jan 9 2013

Drug dependency is a common condition in the United States, and it affects millions of people. Unfortunately, in addition to the physical consequences that drug dependency can have on an individual, it can also lead a person to face criminal charges and their ensuing consequences. However, while some convicted individuals serve jail time or pay fines as part of their sentences, in most instances, these punishments do not alleviate the real problem: drug dependency. In far too many cases, people continue to use drugs after they get out of jail or pay their fines, making it likely that problems will recur. Rather than being given typical penalties like fines and jail time, many individuals convicted on drug-related charges could instead benefit from receiving rehabilitation as part of their sentencing.

Rehabilitation has many potential benefits and anyone can be eligible to go through rehabilitation if he or she is addicted to a dangerous substance or behavior.

Possible Benefits from Seeking Rehabilitation

Seeking rehabilitation for an addiction is a brave decision that can be beneficial in a number of ways. Rather than serving repeated jail sentences or paying repeated fines, a person who seeks rehabilitation for his or her addiction might benefit in the following ways:

- Total detoxification from dependence-forming drugs
- Psychiatric support in overcoming drug addiction
- Temporary isolation from any habit-forming drugs or substances
- Support provided by others with similar addictions
- Creation of a plan to return to normal life after rehabilitation

Sadly, research performed by Brown University suggests that over half of prisons in the U.S. system do not provide heroin addiction treatment, so while persons addicted to drugs like heroin may serve jail time for drug-related activities, they might not learn how they can escape drug dependency in the future. You can read more about Brown's study here.

Everyone will respond to rehabilitation differently, depending on his or her particular inclination and experience, but more and more research is being conducted to demonstrate that rehabilitation may be a more effective solution for drug-dependent-related crime than traditional penalties such as serving long jail sentences or enforcing heavy financial penalties. Though more research needs to be done, some courts are now favoring rehabilitative solutions over jail time or fines for individuals who are seeking to end their drug dependency.

Author Bio

Carlos is an experienced legal blogger who wants more people to be aware of the services a criminal lawyer can provide.

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