Criminal Justice/Drug Court
Recovery During a Crisis Project Findings
Problems – People with SUDs and other mental illnesses in the criminal justice system are not always entitled to proper care. There is a correlation between those with SUDs and mental illnesses in institutions.This table depicts the variety of conditions that those incarcerated suffer from and, in most cases, do not get treatment. The green boxes indicate the percentage of incarcerated people suffering from mental illnesses, and the red box indicates the percentage of noninstitutionalized persons in the U.S. suffering from mental illnesses.
This data indicates the higher prevalence of illnesses within the criminal justice system. Avery and Avery wrote about the racial bias in the current criminal justice system. They wrote that “In 2016, there were more than 81,000 individuals in federal prisons for drug offenses, and 37.9% of them were black, while 21.6% were white. Moreover, a number of reports have shown that the percentage of blacks imprisoned for drug crimes is not proportional to arrest rates.”
Benefits to those in recovery – The benefits to those in recovery are that Drug Courts focus more on rehabilitation compared to incarceration. If someone in recovery follows through with their designated plan, their charges will be lifted off their record. Participants need first to meet all of the requirements to be considered for the drug court program. Then they must hold themselves accountable for their actions and meet with mentors and peers in their community often.
Community Benefits – A community that holds a Drug Court program has the potential to save money, decrease the chances of a convicted criminal to reoffend, and produce more productive citizens that turn into mentors and recovery advocates.