This paper argues that rehabilitation is the preferred sanction over incarceration for non-violent drug offenders. It examines multiple dimensions of the debate, including comparative costs of federal probation versus imprisonment, the role of drug treatment in reducing crime, racial disparities produced by the War on Drugs, the mental health consequences of incarceration, the humanitarian argument for treating addiction as an illness, prison overcrowding, and the economic benefits of keeping offenders in the community. Throughout, the paper presents both pro-rehabilitation and pro-incarceration arguments before concluding that rehabilitation more effectively serves the offender, the corrections system, and society at large.
According to the FBI's Uniform Crime Report, there were 1,663,582 arrests for drug offenses in 2009 (FBI Uniform Crime Report, 2009). An ongoing debate among professionals and the community — one that has existed for years — is what to do with offenders convicted of these drug offenses: whether to imprison non-violent drug offenders or to require them to enter drug rehabilitation. Strong arguments exist on both sides. Some considerations to take into account at sentencing are the cost involved, the safety of the community, and the success of drug rehabilitation for the offender. In light of these considerations and others discussed below, offenders who qualify for drug rehabilitation should be given this option.
The cost of incarcerating a single person in federal prison is approximately $48.15 per day, or $17,575 annually (Florida Department of Corrections, 2010). Compared with this, the cost of an individual completing drug rehabilitation for a year can range from $7,500 to $75,000 per month according to the National Substance Abuse Treatment Services Survey; however, the average cost per day was approximately $35,000 for a 90-day program (National Substance Abuse Services Survey, 2010). Considering these numbers, imprisonment advocates will argue that the cost of imprisonment is much lower than rehabilitation and therefore more cost effective. However, when an offender is placed in rehabilitation for an offense, they are placed on probation with rehabilitation as a condition of that probation. When the daily cost between federal probation, community corrections, and jail/prison are compared, federal probation is considerably less. For example: federal probation costs $9.46 per day; community corrections, $55.07 per day; and jail/prison, $63.57 per day (Alarid, Cromwell, & Del Carmen, 2008).
Also important is the fact that imprisonment is funded by taxpayers and the government, while many drug rehabilitation programs are funded by the individual. Because the burden of the corrections procedure will not be placed solely on the government or the taxpayer — and the offender could be responsible for financing his rehabilitation — rehabilitation is more cost effective. Holding the offender responsible for financing his rehabilitation will also assist him in taking responsibility for his actions and will likely produce a greater benefit from the process. Because an incarcerated offender is not required to make financial contributions, she is more likely to take the experience for granted and return to the community at the end of her sentence without having obtained as great a benefit as she would have if required to contribute financially.
Cost is extremely important in deciding whether to incarcerate an offender or place them in rehabilitation. Although some rehabilitation programs are costlier per year than incarceration, the offender is often required to make financial contributions to the rehabilitation program, while imprisonment is funded primarily by the government and taxpayers. It is not feasible to require the government to bear entirely the burden of a drug offender's corrections procedure when other options, such as rehabilitation, exist.
Requiring an offender to complete drug rehabilitation will also lead to a reduction in overall crime. If a drug problem is corrected, the offender is less likely to commit offenses while under the influence of drugs — these are called drug-related offenses. According to the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), a drug-related offense is an "offense to which a drug's pharmacologic effects contribute; offenses motivated by the user's need for money to support continued use; and offenses connected to drug distribution itself" (ONDCP, 2006). Many offenders imprisoned for other offenses such as robbery or burglary are also drug users. Statistics show that drug offenders often resort to petty crimes such as petty theft to gain money to support their drug habit. Additionally, public order offenses such as prostitution are also related to drug abuse. According to Dr. Dana Hunt, between 49% and 87% of all arrestees in 10 U.S. cities tested positive for drugs in 2008 (Hunt, 2009).
"Incarceration rate disparities between Black and white offenders"
"Prison culture's impact on mental health and addiction as illness"
"How rehabilitation reduces strain on overcrowded prisons"
"Employment, fees, and community contributions from rehabilitated offenders"
You’re 18% through this paper. Sign up to read the remaining 4 sections.
Sign Up Now — Instant Access Already a member? Log inAlways verify citation format against your institution’s current style guide requirements.