Drug treatment grads more likely to reoffend (another great Liberal idea goes bad)

San francisco Chronicle ^ | nov 26, 2004 | Cicero A. Estrella

[beebuster2000]

Drug offenders steered into treatment programs instead of jail under provisions set by Proposition 36 in 2000 were more likely to be rearrested for drug-related crimes than defendants who went through non-Prop. 36 treatments, according to a study released today.

UCLA researcher David Farabee said that Prop. 36 participants were 48 percent more likely to be rearrested for drug-related crimes within a year of starting treatment.

Prop. 36, the Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act, places first- and second-time nonviolent drug offenders into county-supervised drug treatment programs instead of jails and prisons. Its supporters argued in 2000 that incarceration without rehabilitation only worsened the drug epidemic and that inmates often developed harsher drug habits.

[beebuster2000]

another example of unintended consequences for another bad lib idea. and we bear the cost.

[traderrob6]

Straight out of the "No Sh!%" files

[EagleUSA]

Yes, the mindless liberals, with another one of their "feel good" ideas, have demonstrated their total disconnect with reality in an attempt to minimize their hand-wringing over feelings of drug addicts.

Liberalism remains a disease of the mind.

[goldstategop]

Half of those given a second chance turn their lives around. The rest are just too stupid to stay out of trouble. You can't save every one. We're still saving some however, and that's no small thing.

[BureaucratusMaximus]

Drug offenders steered into treatment programs instead of jail under provisions set by Proposition 36 in 2000 were more likely to be rearrested for drug-related crimes than defendants who went through non-Prop. 36 treatments, according to a study released today.

Gee whiz...that took me about 1.2 seconds and a sip of $0.99 coffee to figure out. Just think of all the money I could have saved the government!

[goldstategop]

We can't predict who will re-offend. If we really knew, we would know who NOT to divert into treatment programs.

[randog]

His findings show recidivism rates for Prop. 36 participants were even worse (65 percent more) when compared with the noncriminal cases of people who entered treatment voluntarily, or without the involvement of the criminal justice system.

Anyone in AA or NA could have told you that. It's no secret that drug/alcohol abusers that get the "judge nudge" are likely to get back into their old habits. The hospital programs are even worse--only about 10% of patients that go through those programs are clean/sober in a year. It just boils down to one simple principle: you're not going to get clean/sober if you don't want to.

[dano1]

A great liberal mantra is "drug treatment on demand".

[goldstategop]

Exactly. The addict must want to be motivated to get clean and sober and stay clean and sober. No government program in the world can reform people against their will. Liberals ought to know that better than any one. Its a fact of human nature.

[MikefromOhio]

From a few of my old high school friends, they said that drug treatment just showed them how to hide it better....that was about it....

[eno_]

It just boils down to one simple principle: you're not going to get clean/sober if you don't want to.

You hit the nail on the head.

Now the question is: Should drug use be criminalized? Criminalization leads to the "judge nudge" and to both higher failure rates in effective programs, and to charlatanism in drug "treatment."

Or should we go for putting 20% of the population in prison?

[SSG USA]

Aw come on, cut 'em a break!!!

We really should not be so hard on the drug addicts. After all, their addiction is a disease you know, and it is not their fault that they are dopers. It is the Big Bad Republican's fault. They want everyone to go out and get a job and become useful parts of society instead of parasites. Imagine that, have you ever heard of a more preposterous thing?!!! For some people this is just too much pressure. They fold under the pressure, turn to drugs and become addicts. It's plain ol' not their fault!!!

The new Democrapic motto should be "It's not your fault, blame it all on the evil satanic Conservatives"

[randog]

The new Democrapic motto should be "It's not your fault, blame it all on the evil satanic Conservatives"

New?

[glaseatr]

As someone who has almost 10yrs of sobriety I consider that this program a success. It took me several years of prep work, going in and out of programs, until it finally stuck. IMHO this program is turning semi-productive people into real productive people.

And in this case has increased the number of die-hard conservatives in our nation by 2.

[SE Mom]

"Anyone in AA or NA could have told you that. It's no secret that drug/alcohol abusers that get the "judge nudge" are likely to get back into their old habits."

---

Exactly. I wonder how many judges who pass these sentences have a working knowledge of the various treatment programs.

It's a conundrum really- 12-step programs are successful only for those who WANT to get well. From an outsider's view- it makes sense to "make" people attend meetings- forgetting that "you can lead a horse to water..."

[claudiustg]

---"There were limitations to the study," said Farabee. "It wasn't designed to measure what's happened beyond the first six months. All we know is that there was a difference in arrest rates."---

All six months will tell you is that people who have been to jail are more frightened about going back than people that haven't been to jail. If you want to know if the rehab is working you've got to look at least a year and a half down the line, and I would like to see data after three years. I can tell you that the portion of addicts that recover is painfully small.

[goldstategop]

If an addiction is pleasureable, its hard to let go of it. Recovered addicts face the temptation the rest of their lives. It takes a strong mind not to relapse. No wonder most people just slide back into their bad habits - its comfortable, like a second skin.

[claudiustg]

Read the story of Jonah in the Bible. It's a parable for addiction.

[eno_]

Exactly. I wonder how many judges who pass these sentences have a working knowledge of the various treatment programs.

It really does not matter what the judge thinks, or knows. The addict has to be willing. Nothing external (not even the threat of jail, in the csae of the "judge nudge") can motivate them.

[pnome]

Your 99cent coffee contains an addictive drug. Your's happens to be legal.

Prison is NOT the solution to drug addiction. Treatment is. Neither are perfect solutions. Do you really think that putting non-violent drug offenders in prison is going to help them?

I smoke pot, should I go to prison? Am I that much of a threat to society when I smoke pot in my home? No more than you drinking a beer, or sipping your coffee.