Cook 1 Ronny Cook Dr.

Jeffrey Greenwell English 1010-005 29 April 2014

Effective Rehabilitation The United States is currently budgeting 80 billion dollars a year to house prisoners at the Federal, State and local levels (Palazzolo). A staggering 72% of these current inmates have undiagnosed, severe mental disorders with co-occurring substance abuse addictions. Tax payers are paying an average cost of $129.00 a day to house a lower level drug or alcohol offender in a correctional facility. Depending on the state, that is $18,000.00 to $50,000.00 a year per inmate. That is seven times the amount that is spent on the education of one pupil in the United States. According to a report in Arizona, after the first year of operation, a total of 2,622 non-violent, lower level drug and alcohol offenders were sentenced to a court ordered diversion program. Of that number, 932 completed the program, of which 61% completed successfully. The study estimates that the program saved more than 2.5 million tax dollars state wide (Gream). Jail diversion is an alternative program which is a much more successful and cost effective resource of rehabilitation rather than incarcerating an individual to jail or prison. There is overwhelming evidence that diversion initiatives work for lower level drug and alcohol offenders and the mentally ill with co-existing dependency problems.

Cook 2 Individuals with mental illness and co-existing substance abuse disorders are highly overrepresented in our criminal justice system. In a dual diagnosis, both the mental health issue and the drug or alcohol addiction have their own unique symptoms that may get in the way of a persons ability to function, handle lifes difficulties, and relate to others. To make the situation even more complicated, the co-occurring disorders also affect each other. When a mental health problem goes untreated, the substance abuse problem usually gets worse as well. When there is a mental health problem and alcohol or drug abuse is involved, the mental health problems increase as well. Individuals who cycle in and out of the mental health, substance abuse and criminal justice systems they receive fragmented treatment and are at high risk for re-arrest once released from incarceration. Of all people diagnosed as mentally ill, 29 percent abuse either alcohol or drugs. Sixteen percent of all jail and prison inmates are estimated to have severe mental health and substance disorders (Samhsa). Individuals who have dual or multiple disorders have statistically greater risks to fail or to not respond to treatment after being incarcerated. They have a greater chance for relapse and are more likely to be homeless, reoffend and end up being re-incarcerated for the same or more serious crimes. Historically our answer has been to provide treatment for singular disorders such as mental illness, drug addiction or alcoholism, which has resulted in complete treatment failure for the dually diagnosed. For these individuals, this is followed by a downward spiral into homelessness, criminal justice involvement, arrest,

Cook 3 incarceration and lack of any treatment, whatsoever. A nationwide initiative focused on implementing integrated treatment across systems of mental health, substance abuse, homeless services and the criminal justice system needs to be put into place. There is an enormous need for targeted services to divert people from our jails and prisons, when appropriate and safe, toward needed community based treatment. This issue should be seen as a national priority in which prevention through diversion programs alleviates overcrowding of our jails and prisons, reduces the cost of treatment during incarceration and decreases unnecessary prosecution of individuals with mental and substance abuse problems (Pinals). Jail diversion programs typically involve reduced or no jail time on current charges or violation of probation for an individual with previous charges. These programs may differ from one municipality to the next, and the access and type of community-based treatment services may also differ. In jail diversion programs a lower level drug and alcohol offender, and the mentally ill with co-existing substance abuse problems receive specialized individual treatment. They participate in individual and group counseling for addiction, learn strategies for living alcohol or drug-free, and establish a relapse prevention plan as part of a long-term approach to recovery. Depending on the facility, and the nature of the substance abuse and mental illness, an individual may receive outpatient care or inpatient services at a residential facility (Burning). While participating in these programs, individuals are also on monitored probation, for treatment compliance and substance abstinence. These programs engage the individual to complete community service hours

Cook 4 by donating their time to help non-profit organizations. In time must pay restitution in the form of court fees, fines and monitored probation. The offenders are also encouraged to find work upon completion of the program, so there will be a smoother and more organized transition when reintegrated back into society. Programs, such as, jail diversion do raise some issues within a community with public safety. Although these programs generally accept non-violent felons, and the individual is on monitored probation, the opportunity could exist for public harm. For example, an individual going astray from the program may start using, selling drugs or committing crimes. Another barrier is that many feel the punishment of the jail diversion program is not enough. There is still the belief of you do the crime, you do the time. Once a week, while incarcerated an inmate may receive an AA meeting, a church service, a communication course and a life skills course that focuses on improving relationships. For each course that an inmate participates in they receive credited time served for earlier release. The real concern is, are these individuals participating in these courses just for the credited time served and are they utilizing what they have learned in the real world after they are released? Although an individual may be released early or serve their sentence in jail or prison, it does not mean that the lower level drug or alcohol offender has been rehabilitated well enough to return back to society. Even though they are on monitored probation upon their release, the possibility is quite high that they will reoffend and return to their old behaviors. Unlike someone that has completed a diversion program and has been educated about their addictions and cognitive behaviors.

Cook 5 In jail or prison, inmates do not receive any kind of specialized one on one treatment or counseling for their addictions. When they are released, these individuals are unemployed, uneducated about their addictions, as well as being homeless. This plays a large part in why, when released, they reoffend and go back to their old behaviors. Individuals that dont stay in jail long and once out of a diversion program, dont reoffend as often as those who do not participate in any type of program at all (Mahoney). Not only do diversion programs save tax dollars and decrease our jail populations, these programs treat and educate the individual about their addictions and behaviors. As treatment moves forward the individual still pays on restitution, completes community service hours and has the opportunity to look for work before reintegrating back into society. Most importantly, it gives these individuals a chance to turn their lives around.

Works Cited

Burning Tree. Jail Diversion Programs for Drug Addiction Burning Tree.Web. n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2014

Gream, Danielle. The Average Cost of Inarceration in U.S. Prisons. n.d. Web. 27 Apr 2014

Mahoney, David. Sheriff David Mahoney: Jail Diversion and Treatment Programs Work. Wisconsin State Journal. Wisconsin State Journal. 15 Sep. 2013. Web. 24 Apr. 2014

Palazzolo, Joe. Diversion Programs Send More to Treatment, Instead of Prison. Wall Street Journal. Wall Street Journal. 9 Aug. 2013. Web. 28 Apr. 2014.

Pinals, Deborah A., M.D. Pre-arrest Law Enforcement Based Jail Diversion Programs. Department of Mental Health, Massachusetts. Mass.gov. n.d. Web. 29 Apr 2014.

Samhsas (Substance abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) Gains Center for Behavioral Health and Justice Transformation. Samhsa.gov. n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2014