...abuse. For example drug and/or alcohol related crimes have been implicated in violent crimes, instances of domestic violence, child abuse and neglect cases. Therefore, drug court has come in to offer people arrested for substances abuse related crimes and opportunity to receive community-based treatment with judicial supervision to avoid potential incarceration. For this reason drug court has changed people’s lives in a variety of ways, which are often overlooked, are the positive impact on families and society. Overall, substance abuse offenders have a recurring problem for the criminal justice system as a result drug courts are an important strategy to reduce incarceration, provide drug treatment and reduce recidivism among nonviolent offenders. Another key point is research study by the National Institute of Justice in 2009 called the Multi-Site Adult Drug Court Evaluation confirmed that Drug Courts reduced crime and substance abuse, improved family relationships, and also increasing employment and school enrollment. (Marlowe, 2010) Another key point is drug courts have affected the offender’s criminal behavior and substance use with mandated drug and alcohol treatment. Henceforth drug courts has been a popular diversion program for drug offenders since it’s began in Dade County Florida in 1989. Overview Drug courts represent the criminal justice approach to ensure public safety through close supervision and delivered by community-based treatment. Under the circumstances...
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...Incarceration and Treatment Programs. Critically examine the Current Treatment Programs offered and Subsequent Impact on Recidivism upon Individuals being released globally and WA specifically. This study will examine the effectiveness of current prison treatment programs in Australia, New Zealand, South East Asia, United States of America in rehabilitating or reforming an individual and coinciding recidivism rates upon a prisoners release. Prison based treatment programs for sex offenders in Western Australia, New South Wales and New Zealand are examined and recidivism rates compared. Treatment programs for offenders with drug and alcohol issues and the various strategies within the criminal justice system such as diversion, education and drug court programs are examined and differences explained. Rehabilitation programs such as education, life skills, employment and cognitive behavioural treatment are explained and research discussed. Conclusions will be drawn outlining programs with the highest level of recidivism both in Western Australia and globally. The “nothing works” mantra (Martinson) 1974, is seen to be refuted and treatment is seen to be successful when it is matched to the criminogenic needs of the offender (MacKenzie, 2006). Future recommendations are made in regards to the need for correctional staff to assess each offender as an individual with different needs, and to therefore implement programs that will give the offender the best change of...
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...first drug court was established in Miami-Dade, Florida in 1989. Drug courts were established because of the “revolving door of drug use” and increasing recidivism rates. Drug courts have the ability to change a person’s life the better by teaching them how to beat their addictions by provind the proper treatments to the offenders. The purpose of this paper is to inform the reader about the effectiveness, success, goals, and failures of the the Maricopa County Drug court, Baltimore City Drug Court, and the King County Drug Diversion court systems. The number of Drug court systems around the world are continuously increasing. In June 2010, there were about 2,500 drug courts that are being operated in the United States of America....
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...T U T E Treatment or Incarceration? Treatment or Incarceration? National and State Findings on the Efficacy and Cost Savings of Drug Treatment Versus Imprisonment by Doug McVay, Vincent Schiraldi, and Jason Ziedenberg January 2004 Justice Policy Institute 4455 Connecticut Avenue NW Suite B-500 Washington, DC 20008 v 202.363.7847 f 202.363.8677 www.justicepolicy.org POLICY REPORT J u s t i c e P o l i c y I n s t i t u t e Table of Contents Introduction: The national and local problem of drug imprisonment 3 Methodology 4 Finding 1: Treatment can be less expensive than a term of imprisonment 5 Finding 2: Treatment can be cost effective 6 Finding 3: Treatment can reduce substance abuse and recidivism while building communities 9 Finding 4: Promising treatment models exist in Maryland and around the country 11 Maryland: Break The Cycle The Correctional Options Program (COP) Drug Courts: Maryland and the National Perspective California’s Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act (SACPA) 11 12 13 14 Conclusion: Drug treatment can be more effective than cycling people in and out of prison 18 Endnotes 20 About the Authors Treatment or Incarceration? was primarily authored by Doug McVay, former research director for Common Sense for Drug Policy, a non-profit dedicated to expanding discussion on drug policy by educating...
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...Drug courts combine treatment with incentives and sanctions. Sanctions can and do include mandatory, as well as, random drug testing of the offender. Drug courts are a proven tool for improving public health as well as public safety. They provide an innovative way for collaboration between the judiciary, prosecutors, law enforcement and other community corrections agencies, drug treatment providers and community support groups. The effectiveness of these courts is well documented since they first started operating in the United States 20 years ago. In a time of limited resources for local and state budgets, drug courts offer a cost effective way to increase the chances for the nonviolent offender to achieve sustained recovery, thereby reducing recidivism for the offender. The drug court movement began in the 1980s as a response to the growing number of drug cases brought before the court. Law enforcement and corrections agencies policies alone were not having the effect on the drug trade that proponents of the war on drugs had hoped for. An administrative order from the chief judge of Florida’s Eleventh Circuit in 1989 implemented the first drug court in the United States. (Engen, & Steen (2000). The responsibility of the prosecuting attorney is to protect the public’s safety by ensuring that each candidate is appropriate for the program and complies with all drug court requirements. The responsibility of the defense counsel is to protect the participant’s due process rights...
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...and the answer to this question is far from clear. Drug addiction is said to be a brain disease that affects behavior, the brain’s anatomy and chemistry. These brain changes interfere with your ability to think clearly, control your behavior, and feel normal without drugs. While under the influence of drugs, some people commit acts that they would not normally do. So does that mean a person addicted to drugs should not be held accountable for their actions? Rehabilitation offers to change a person’s negative lifestyle habits into positive ones, by correcting the behavior of offenders through treatment, education, and counseling. For that first and second time nonviolent, simple drug possession offenders, drug abuse treatment in a rehabilitation canter can be effective. The same cannot be said for a repeat drug offender and a person under the influence of drugs that commits a criminal offense. People are sent to prison for committing crimes. Why should a drug abuser committing crimes be any different? Drug offenders should be held accountable for their actions and sent to prison. Prisons detour recidivism, as well as, provide specialized services and programs to meet the needs of the offender. Drug addiction is a problem in our society, and it is spread in almost every country over the world. People who are addicted feel an overwhelming, uncontrollable dependence for the drug, and will continue using the drug despite the harm it causes them, or the family and friends...
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...Alternatives to Imprisonment 1 Alternatives to Imprisonment Brandi Phillips-Moorhead Corrections and Penology Professor Jordan September 30, 2012 Alternatives to Imprisonment 2 Table of Contents Table of Contents……………………………………………………………………….2 Abstract…….....................................................................................3 A look at why we Imprison Convicts………………………………………….4 Drug Courts and Drug Treatment Programs………………………………4 - 5 Probation…………………………………………………………………………………5 - 6 Fines and Restitution……………………………………………………………….6 -7 Community Service………………………………………………………………….7 Home Confinement…………………………………………………………………7 – 8 Works Cited……………………………………………………………………………9 - 10 Alternatives to Imprisonment 3 Abstract In the following research paper we are going to discuss imprisonment. We are going to discuss why people are incarcerated as well as talk about different alternatives to imprisonment. We will then touch on benefits of each alternative as well as the negative aspects. ...
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...11/14/2014 Drug Addiction Treatment in the Criminal Justice System | National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Home » Related Topics » Criminal Justice » Drug Addiction Treatment in the Criminal Justice System Drug Addiction Treatment in the Criminal Justice System Revised April 2014 Print Drug Use, Crime, and Incarceration The connection between drug use and crime is well known. Drug use is implicated in at least five types of drug-related offenses: [i] 1. Offenses related to drug possession or sales 2. Offenses directly related to obtaining drugs (e.g., stealing to get money for drugs) 3. Offenses related to a lifestyle that includes association with other offenders or with illicit markets 4. Offenses related to abusive and violent behaviors, including domestic violence and sexual assault 5. Offenses related to driving while intoxicated or under the influence, which can include property damage, accidents, injuries, and fatalities. [ii] Incarceration Drug use and intoxication can impair judgment, resulting in criminal behavior, poor anger management, and violent behavior. Sometimes drug users steal money or property to be able to buy drugs. Often they will commit crimes while “high” on drugs, and many drug users are sent to jail or prison. In 2012, nearly 7 million adults were involved with the criminal justice system (State or Federal prisons, local jails), including nearly 5 million who were under probation or parole supervision. [iii] A 2004 survey by...
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...informal or programmatic methods of steering offenders out of the criminal justice system. Diverson path comes in four different versions in the criminal justice system. Examples of Diversion in the criminal justice is a traffic court judge allowing a driver to not be charged for a violation due to the driver having a clean history. Another example...
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...mechanism to provide comprehensive treatment to offenders that require treatment for substance abuse and chemical dependency. The offenders must meet certain criteria to gain entrance into the program. The program is resident in nature to assist the offenders with re-socialization process. The counseling and intervention sessions are conducted by Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselors, (LCDC) which use cognitive behavioral therapies as a treatment tool. The SMART program is very structured in regard to the structure, its mission, and goals. There are strict eligibility requirements that offenders must meet to attend the 20-week program. The program is not gender specific and is available for male and female offenders. There are three levels of treatment provided at the treatment facility. Therapy is provided in the form of individual and group sessions. The writer visited the site while accompanied by LCDC Ms. Vicki Clark Merriwether; Ms. Merriwether gained her experience working with active duty Soldiers as an Alcohol and Drug counselor at several military locations in the United States and Europe. Ms. Merriwether also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology. The writer was afforded the opportunity to tour the facility and sit in on a group counseling session. The experience was invaluable in regard to the intellectual insight of the realm of Human Service workers. Program population The SMART Program participants consist of offenders that are screened in order to...
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...work releases, day fine programs, electronic monitoring, home confinement, community service, half way houses, boot camp prisons, restitution, check-in programs, mediation, curfews, restorative justice centers, drug checks, alcohol checks and other methods where there is a certain level of trust between the offenders and the people involved. The objective of this essay is to compare and contrast characteristics and goals of halfway houses, day reporting centers, and drug courts. Their similarities and difference in regards to incarceration will also be discussed. Halfway houses, also called “community correction centers” or “residential reentry centers” are used mostly as an intermediate housing option to help a person return from prison to the community after he has served a prison sentence (Bayens & Smykla, 2013). Sometimes, though, halfway houses can be used instead of prison or jail, usually when a person’s sentence is very short. For example, halfway houses may be a good choice when a person has served time in prison, been released on parole, and then violated a parole condition and been ordered to serve a few months additional time for that violation. While in halfway houses, offenders are monitored and must fulfill conditions placed on them by the court. Offenders are placed in a structured environment that offers employment counseling, life skills training,...
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...Drug Courts: Adult and Juvenile Rehabilitation Programs Eugene Berry Crj2200 Introduction to Criminal Courts Drug courts handle nonviolent substance abuse offenders, drug courts are used primarily to solve a problem rather than to send someone to jail or lock an offender away with less chance of rehabilitation. In the United States there are currently almost 2500 drug courts in the 50 states as well as the U.S. territories of Guam, and Puerto Ricco. Drug courts got their start in Florida, in 1989 judge Gerald Wetherington, Judge Herbert Klein, and state attorneys designed the court for non-violent offenders in Miami-Dade County, to battle a rising crack-cocaine problem in there city’s. Drug courts are a program the can involve different levels of intensive supervision by the courts themselves, this includes drug testing and substance abuse clinics or treatment programs. Drug court judges gain a lot of discretion and leeway in this system and can give the offenders instant or gradual sanctions if the offenders fail to meet the standards of the program given. To help keep the offenders compliant the courts can offer fewer drug tests, fewer court dates, and even the possibility of reduced or completely dismissed sentences if they programs are fully completed. Drug courts are proven to keep offenders from repeating their offences and the overall reduction in recidivism rates on these charges. There is research being done today that shows this treatment method could reduce drug...
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...105 Why Rehabilitation Works and Imprisonment Does Not The drug epidemic is something that has affected many families all over the world. Drug abuse puts a lot of stress on parents, brothers, sisters, and grandparents – anyone who is part of the home (“Alcohol”). Along with the drug epidemic comes the criminal activity to obtain the drugs. Our nation’s prison population has exploded beyond capacity and most inmates are in prison, in large part, because of substance abuse: 80% of offenders abuse drugs or alcohol; nearly 50% of jail and prison inmates are clinically addicted; approximately 60% of individuals are arrested for most types of crimes test positive for illegal drugs at arrest (“Alcohol”). Although the current system emphasizes putting addicts in jail, it would be more beneficial for them and society to enter into inpatient rehabilitation. The relationship between drugs and crime is very complex. At the most intense levels of drug use, drugs and crimes are directly and highly connected. Serious drug use can amplify and prolong preexisting criminal activity. There are essentially three types of crimes related to drugs: Use-Related crime: These are crimes that result from or involve individuals who ingest drugs, and who commit crimes as a result of the effect the drug has on their processes and behavior. Economic-Related crime: These are crimes where an individual commits a crime in order to fund a drug habit. These include theft and prostitution. System-Related crime:...
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...Catanduanes State University Laboratory Schools Virac, Catanduanes SY 2014-2015 Drug Addiction/Drug Usage Lyri Kirsten Anicken T. Gianan Grade 9 – Platinum Mr. Eddie Cabrera February 11, 2015 Report on the Enforcement of the Prohibition Laws of the United States by the National Commission on Law Observance and Enforcement (Wickersham Commission Report on Alcohol Prohibition) I have signed the report of the Commission, although as is probably inevitable when eleven people of different antecedents and temperaments endeavor to agree upon a contentious subject, it is more or less of a compromise of varying opinions. In so far as it states facts, I believe it to be generally accurate. Every effort has been made to make it so. I should have preferred to have it state more facts and fewer broad generalizations from unstated facts. But the difficulties in securing accurate statistics, owing to the unsystematic and unscientific manner in which they are commonly kept in this country, often makes it impossible to get reliable statements of fact, although there may be sufficient available information to afford a fairly reliable basis of generalization. I am in entire accord with the conclusions "that enforcement of the National Prohibition Act made a bad start which has affected enforcement ever since"; that "it was not until after the Senatorial investigation of 1926 had opened people's eyes to the extent of law breaking and corruption that serious efforts were made" to coordinate "the...
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...Maranda Harris Chris Bishop English 1302 12 October 2014 Should Non Violent Drug Offenders Be Imprisoned? With so much overcrowding and financial problems, it is obvious that non-violent offenders should not be incarcerated but instead they should be offered alternatives to incarceration. This argument will discuss the benefits of offering another option to offenders who have not committed a violent offense. Rehabilitation has been proven to be an effective alternative when offered to non violent offenders who are usually addicts. By incarcerating people who are not a threat to others and have not committed a violent crime we are simply wasting space in prisons that could be better used to house violent offenders such as murderers and rapists. In addition to wasting space, every state that continues to jail non violent offenders is wasting money. They are wasting money not only for salaries of correctional facility employees but also on housing and feeding these inmates. The amount of money it takes to keep a person imprisoned for one year is unbelievable. The average cost to house an inmate in California over one year is $47,102. (Brown, 2009) In Wisconsin that number is $31,806, much closer to the national average. (National institute of corrections, 2008) Think of all the money that could be saved by referring non violent offenders to rehabilitation instead of putting them in jail. Even with all the spending done each year on inmates, they are just as likely to...
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