Rehab vs. Jail Time: How Drug Rehab Provides a Path to Recovery

Most drugs are illegal throughout the United States. This includes drugs such as cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and acid. Other substances like marijuana, prescription painkillers, or prescription amphetamines, are illegal under certain conditions. The legal system is tasked with handling drug-related cases in the United States. Any number of things involving drugs or even alcohol can result in legal action.

Selling illicit substances often results in automatic legal action. Drug distribution of any kind is a serious offense. But getting caught while buying, possessing, or taking drugs often leads to legal action as well. Anyone involved with drugs in any of these manners will likely find themselves at least ticketed, if not arrested. Operating a motor vehicle while under the influence is grounds for severe legal repercussions, too.

The specific charges a person receives for their drug-related actions depend on a few factors. The type or types of drugs, the amount, the town or state where the person is, and any existence of previous charges all play a role. If ordered to appear in court, sentencing could be as simple as community service or a fine, or as severe as doing time in jail or prison.

Using jail time as a go-to line of defense against people using drugs isn’t the best way to take on many of these cases. Sure, some who run into substance-related trouble aren’t regular drug or alcohol users. They ended up getting caught in the one-off time they were involved with drugs. This isn’t the case for most people with legal troubles stemming from substance use, though. Most of them have existing substance or alcohol use problems.

This means people struggling with drug addiction find themselves not only locked up but locked up for months or years at a time. Then once they end up in the system they’re at risk for increased sentence time with every additional charge. Turning drug addiction into a legal matter makes it more challenging to overcome the problem.

Additionally, there are very few resources in terms of treatment within the jail and prison systems. People who come into jail under the influence have little access to proper medical attention. They often end up spending the course of their detox period without much medical support for their drug withdrawal symptoms.

The American Public Health Association revealed that only 11 percent of those struggling with addiction receive treatment while behind bars. If little to nothing is done to address their reason for arrest in the first place, how will that keep them from ending up in jail again?

Sending individuals with substance use disorders to jail does little to help them get or stay clean. Jail isn’t the best environment for someone who is trying to quit using drugs. There are still ways to find most drugs behind bars. Most people with addiction problems will simply find their substance of choice while in jail and continue using.

Convicting someone on drug-related charges also leaves them with a criminal record that makes post-lockup life more difficult. Overcoming addiction is challenging enough; adding a record will only make it more difficult to reintegrate into society. Adding more barriers to finding things like employment and housing makes it harder to quit.

Jail sentences are more likely to keep people trapped in the cycle of addiction rather than get them out of it. On the other hand, court-ordered treatment programs are another option for those facing drug-related charges. Instead of incarcerating individuals with substance use disorders, sending them to a drug rehab program is a far more effective solution.

Drug rehab programs exist for the sole purpose of helping people separate from drugs and alcohol. Treatment facilities are equipped with the appropriate resources to aid those looking to leave substances behind and develop a new way of life.

If a person is truly interested in trying to quit using drugs, they’ll make use of their time in an addiction treatment program. Sending them to a rehab facility rather than jail or prison is a more proactive solution. They’ll be surrounded by the support that will set them up on the track to a life of recovery.

Another reason rehab is a more effective alternative is the difficulty of finding adequate employment upon release. A criminal record deters many employers from offering someone a job. Offering first-time offenders the option to attend treatment rather than spend time in jail reflects better on their record. They’re more likely to find employment after leaving a treatment center rather than an institution like jail or prison.

Additionally, jails don’t usually provide much of a bridge between time behind bars and reintegrating into the real world. Treatment facilities make a point of helping people transition from the controlled environment of rehab to the chaotic reality of everyday life. Case managers work with clients to provide a clear path to follow after release.

Sending individuals to drug rehab is a much more positive approach to rehabilitation than locking them up in a correctional facility. They’re more likely to graduate from an addiction program with life skills that will encourage them to reintegrate into society. Treatment teaches people with substance use disorders about the nature of their addiction. Jail does not.

Offering drug-related offenders the option to attend rehab promotes recovery for those most at risk. Rather than pushing them into a system that will more than likely lock them deeper within a cycle of addiction, rehab will provide them with an effective escape from it.

Offenders can use their time in rehab to lay a solid foundation for long-term recovery. They receive the time, support, and resources that give them an adequate opportunity to learn to live sober. They return to society with the ability to support themselves and their families.

If those struggling with substance abuse are immediately incarcerated, their chances of getting sober are slim. But if those individuals receive the chance to attend drug rehab, they’ll find themselves on a path to recovery and away from the chains of addiction.

Thankfully, the legal system in Pennsylvania is recognizing the importance of drug rehab for addicts. Some receive the option to attend an addiction treatment program as a substitute for jail time. The state wants to reduce the skyrocketing rates of drug abuse, addiction, overdose, and avoidable deaths. Incorporating drug rehab as an option for people with possession charges is a step in the right direction.

The surging rates of deaths due to overdose led prosecutors in Pennsylvania to increase the number of charges for “Drug Delivery Resulting in Death.” Anyone who distributed drugs connected to a drug-related fatality receives the charge. Before the alarming number of fatal overdoses, it was originally classified as a third-degree murder. Today, Drug Delivery Resulting in Death is a first-degree felony in the state of Pennsylvania.

It’s not only illegal to possess drugs themselves but drug paraphernalia is illegal as well. Any paraphernalia found on a person results in additional charges on top of any penalties for drug possession. Paraphernalia charges usually result in up to a $2,500 fine and up to a year of jail time.

The best way to avoid the problem of rehab vs. jail time is to seek sobriety before reaching that point. Drug rehab programs in Pennsylvania, such as Peace Valley Recovery, provide a path to recovery and wellness. Through a combination of counseling, therapy, holistic wellness, and sober activities, these facilities show addicts how to live life drug-free.

Are you looking for drug rehab in Pennsylvania? Reach out to Peace Valley Recovery today. We’re here to walk you out of the cycle of addiction and into a lasting life of recovery. You never need to turn back to drugs and you never need to feel alone again. We’re here to help. Give us a call today.