Treatment of Drug Offenders in the Criminal Justice System: Integration of Care and Legal Enforcement
Overview
This paper examines the treatment of drug offenders within the criminal justice system, arguing that rehabilitation and treatment should be prioritized over punishment. It discusses WHO recommendations and empirical research findings that demonstrate the prevalence of substance use disorders among incarcerated populations and advocates for integrated treatment models across arrest, sentencing, and correctional facilities.
What this essay covers
- Introduction to drug offenders in criminal justice system and the tension between punishment and treatment
- WHO recommendations for treating substance use disorders as a health issue rather than purely criminal matter
- Empirical research findings on substance abuse prevalence in correctional facilities and community-based programs
- Treatment models and integrated approaches for drug offenders from arrest through sentencing and community reintegration
Preview
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Treatment of drug offenders in the Criminal Justice System
This topic on the treatment of personals with the challenges of using drugs and other substances is essential as it affects the whole nation entirely. The criminal justice system is supposed to ensure that a country's laws are followed to the latter. However, there are incidences when the lawbreakers are the same people who have difficulties in using drugs and other substances (Gerra et al., 2019). Therefore, the criminal justice system finds itself in an awkward position as it has to mend the behaviors of those involved in the usage of substances and drugs to the extreme. At the same time, criminal justice has to ensure that the same people keep to the land laws.
The popular article authored under the World Health Organization (WHO) watchful eye (WHO) believes that people with drug and substance use challenges can be treated and not punished. Besides, the famous article says that it would be another form of helping the drug addicts and substance users overcome their challenges, rather than putting them to punishment that cannot help them (Gerra et al., 2019). For that reason, WHO liaises with the criminal justice system to ensure that addicts are offered treatment, which also leads to the observation of human rights. The popular article believes that there are essential lessons that policymakers should learn to ensure they help drug abusers on their road to recovery.