Substance abuse is often associated with criminal behavior and legal troubles. It has been estimated by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) that 50 percent of all inmates in jail and prison are dealing with some type of addiction. Approximately 80 percent of all criminal offenders regularly abuse drugs or alcohol. It has been estimated that 60 percent of individuals charged with a crime have tested positive at the time of their arrest for illicit drugs. Only 20 percent of people who need to be treated for substance abuse can receive it. Without this treatment, over 94 percent of convicted criminals go back to abusing substances after being released from prison. The number of individuals who will abuse drugs and commit new crimes after being released is as high as 80 percent in some areas.
Court-Ordered Rehabilitation Programs
There are mandated treatment programs or court-ordered treatment programs that are different from traditional criminal justice methods. They are used for people who are struggling with abusing drugs or alcohol and have committed a crime. When someone is given court-ordered rehabilitation from a judge, the goal is to help them receive proper treatment for their substance abuse issues. The goal is to treat the real issue and not simply address the criminal aspect.
New Jersey Drug Court Program
This is often utilized by people who have been charged with drug offenses as a way to avoid a jail sentence. The New Jersey Drug Court program is an alternative punishment that can be given to non-violent offenders who are involved in a case that is related to drugs. It has a goal of stopping the abuse of alcohol and other substances that are associated with criminal activity. This program has many different components to it. This includes court appearances, substance abuse treatment, regular drug testing, recovery services, and various types of monitoring.
Qualifying
In order for an individual to be enrolled in the New Jersey Drug Court, they must have been charged with a non-violent criminal offense. They must not have any previous convictions for violent crimes. It must be established they have an issue with substance abuse. There are other eligibility requirements.
- It must be established a person is no danger to the community and no harm will result from them being placed on probation.
- The individual has a proven alcohol or drug dependence problem. It is believed they will benefit from substance abuse treatment.
- The individual was not in possession of a firearm at the time of their current offense. They must not have a history of possessing a firearm when committing an offense.
- The individual has never been adjudicated delinquent or convicted and doesn’t have a pending charge against them for a sexual or violent offense.
Drug Court Process
A person must apply for admission into the New Jersey Drug Court Program. They are required to have permission from the prosecutor in their case to enroll in the program. When someone is enrolled in the New Jersey Drug Court Program, they are placed on special probation for five years. Once a person has completed drug treatment in a residential treatment facility for a minimum of six months, they will then be permitted to move into the next phase of the program. This is aftercare treatment.
Special Probation
When a person is serving their special probation, they will be required to comply with a variety of provisions based on their individual case. This includes meeting employment requirements, mandatory urine testing, appearances before a New Jersey Drug Court judge, meeting with a probation officer, and more. When someone successfully completes the New Jersey Drug Court Program, they can avoid having criminal proceedings and experiencing the consequences of a conviction.
Drug Rehabilitation Instead Of Jail
According to the Justice Research and Statistics Association (JRSA), the results of rehabilitation instead of jail provide many positive outcomes.
- Over 56 percent of individuals who get rehabilitation commit additional offenses within a year. The number for those who don’t get rehabilitation is more than 74 percent.
- Approximately 30 percent of individuals who complete a rehabilitation program received a new jail sentence within a year. The number for those who did not complete a rehabilitation program is over 50 percent.
- More than 41 percent of people undergoing rehabilitation get convicted of an additional crime. The number for those who aren’t in any type of rehabilitation program is over 64 percent.
Success
In many cases, after an individual goes through an initial detox period, they begin to work with the rehab staff and start to become better at making rational decisions about their recovery. It is common for individuals to choose to be in rehab as long as necessary to support their goal of long-term sobriety.
If you are ready to make positive changes in your life, call us at 833-610-1174.