Drug related crime is on the increase.
Whether it's a meth addict stealing someone's identity or a heroin addict walking out of Wal-Mart with a big screen, everyone's at risk of being a victim.
Crime linked to drugs has the nation's prisons bursting at the seams.
In an attempt to prevent recidivism, the judicial system is running a rehab system.
Court ordered rehab works well when the defendant is receptive to the idea.
However, entering rehab to avoid a jail sentence will not result in true recovery.
Offering a person the choice of rehab or going to jail is a flawed process.
The average inmate sits in jail for weeks or sometimes months before a reaching a plea agreement.
Offering someone the chance of rehab over the total lockdown of jail is a no-brainer.
Rehab will be the choice most every time.
I am not suggesting everyone choosing rehab over jail will fail.
Some people sincerely want to change.
However, the majority are looking for the quickest release date possible.
Deception is an art addicts have perfected.
Weeding out sincere individuals from people who have no intention of recovery is the key to reducing recidivism.
Manipulation and deception goes hand in hand with drug use.
Exposing manipulation and deception during the assessment process is the main goal of the interviewer.
Participants in court ordered rehab brag about beating the system.
These people take seats away from sincere individuals wanting to change.
Compounding the problem, judges send the same people back to rehab after repeated attempts.
The link between drug use and crime will continue being a problem as long as people use drugs.
Trying to clear the prison system by offering rehab is a fine theory.
However, its delaying the inevitable, jail for the people refusing to stay off drugs.