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Justice Policy
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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

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202.363.8677

www.justicepolicy.org

POLICY REPORT

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Table of Contents
Introduction: The national and local problem of drug imprisonment

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Methodology

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Finding 1: Treatment can be less expensive than a term of imprisonment

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Finding 2: Treatment can be cost effective

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Finding 3: Treatment can reduce substance abuse and recidivism while building communities

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Finding 4: Promising treatment models exist in Maryland and around the country

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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)

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Conclusion: Drug treatment can be more effective than cycling people in and out of prison

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Endnotes

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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 the public about alternatives to current policies. He is the author and editor of Drug War
Facts, an annual compendium of reliable information on the impact of the drug policy on criminal justice and public health issues. This brief was co-authored by Vincent Schiraldi and Jason
Ziedenberg, who are, respectively, Executive Director and Director of

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