8/31/06
Drug treatment equals less crime and abuse
According to a new report from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), every dollar spent on effective drug treatment programs yields a $4 to $7 savings in reducing drug-related crime. "Ninety-five percent of those who receive no treatment while incarcerated end up relapsing into drugs and 70 percent of those end up re-incarcerated as a result," said Dr. Nora Volkow, director of NIDA. "By changing those numbers, we can reduce crime and lower the financial costs. Simply putting a drug abuser in jail without treatment does nothing."
"Principles of Drug Abuse Treatment for Criminal Justice Populations: A Research Based Guide" lists 13 principles for substance abuse treatment among people in prisons and jails and recommends increased funding for these programs. NIDA reports that the criminal justice system often ignores principles for effective treatment and incarcerates the majority of drug abusers without treatment, dooming most to a continuing cycle of drug addiction and related criminal behavior. One principle that is ignored is that drug addiction is a brain disease that affects behavior and that treatment must last long enough to produce stable behavioral changes so the person can manage the addiction over time. NIDA's report mentions the Federal Bureau of Prisons drug treatment program but criticizes is for serving too few federal prisoners.
To order a free copy of the report, visit www.nida.gov.