Combating Drug Addiction Through Integrated Treatment Solutions

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Existing Problem
Current Practice
Proposed Solutions
Policy Prescriptions
Conclusion
References

Introduction

Drug addiction remains one of the common social problems affecting different societies across the globe. Individuals engaging in the vice tend to engage in criminal activities, such as robbery with violence and abuse of close relatives. Continued use of illicit drugs disrupts brain functions, thereby compelling victims to engage in inappropriate behaviors. The provision of personalized treatment to offenders involved in drug abuse could help mitigate criminal behaviors and address the overall challenge of substance abuse. Unfortunately, the absence of proper mechanisms to treat most of these individuals tends to result in increased prison time and overall victimization. Adequate initiatives are missing to combat this problem and help improve the overall outlook of the public healthcare system. A new law intended to support a treatment program for criminals affected by drug addiction will help transform their lives, reduce prison time, and improve the established legal system.

Existing Problem

Incarceration remains the primary option for dealing with offenders to punish and deter future crimes. This strategy has led to an increasing number of individuals in different prisons (de Andrade et al., 2018). In the American setting, Berryessa and Krenzer (2020) observed that almost 50 percent of the imprisoned offenders reported instances of drug dependency or abuse. In some instances, the identified convicts had engaged in various offenses related to the problematic issue of drug use, possession, or marketing (de Andrade et al., 2018). These trends have led to an increasing number of imprisoned citizens while failing to deliver most of the promises of the criminal justice system, such as reduced crime rates and improved life outcomes. De Andrade et al. 92018) revealed that the percentage of recidivism continued to increase due to the infectiveness of the criminal justice system. These issues show conclusively that mass incarceration continues to exist, thereby increasing prison time.

Past scholars have shed additional information intended to examine the nature of this problem. For example, Berryessa and Krenzer (2020) reported that most of the imprisoned criminals lacked proper treatment regimes and procedures. The challenge was more pronounced for individuals who had abused different types of addictive or illicit drugs. The overall outcome was that many societies recorded poor safety and public health outcomes. This predicament was directly linked to an increasing number of crimes reported every single day. Appropriate changes were missing that could help combat or reduce prison time (de Andrade et al., 2018). The nature of this problem could explain why an evidence-based approach is needed to revolutionize the promoted legal system and reduce the number of hours remaining incarcerated.

Current Practice

The global community has recorded significant advances in the fields of medical and neurobiology research. Investigators have observed that addiction could arise from the prolonged use or abuse of various drugs. In extreme cases, some individuals might record different forms of brain disorders that dictate their subsequent behaviors, thoughts, and engagements (Berryessa & Krenzer, 2020). Experts in the fields of pharmacology and criminology have established a unique connection between prolonged drug abuse and tendencies to record violent conduct (Berryessa & Krenzer, 2020). Unfortunately, treatment regimes have not become a common feature of criminal justice institutions (Berryessa & Krenzer, 2020). Individuals serving their jail terms receive basic drugs and medical procedures for specific diseases, such as malaria, diabetes, and depression (de Andrade et al., 2018). This scenario means that those criminals affected by drug addiction lack personalized treatment and continue to stay in their respective prisons.

Most of the promoted strategies focus on patients exhibiting psychological conditions while in their incarceration centers. This gap has created a scenario whereby the field or process of treating victims of drug abuse and subsequent addiction lacks proper medications. De Andrade et al. (2018) indicate that the current practice is designed in such a way that some criminals receive treatment for defined diseases, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and psychiatric disorders. Drug abusers in prisons tend to be victimized within the criminal justice system.

The move not to treat criminals creates an opportunity to incarcerate more offenders. Stakeholders have failed to support additional policies and programs that could ensure that most of these victims are taken to psychiatric units. Most of the individuals who receive this kind of support tend to be in their advanced stages. Upon completion of their jail terms, some of the offenders who commit their crimes under the influence of drugs will have increased chances of being rearrested and sentenced (de Andrade et al., 2018). This state of affairs explains why it has been impossible for communities to improve their overall public health systems. Prisons and rehabilitation centers have gaps that explain why most people stay longer in cells and fail to receive the much-needed treatment. The result is that such people find it impossible to reduce their chances of being rearrested and incarcerated.

Proposed Solutions

The nature of the identified problem calls for evidence-based initiatives to transform the situation and ensure that more drug users are empowered to achieve their potential. The first proposal that has the potential to improve the overall image of the criminal justice system entails the introduction of a new law that supports therapeutic alternatives. De Andrade et al. (2018) indicate that incarceration of victims of drug abuse does not solve the problem of crime. Most of these offenders tend to engage in additional misbehaviors and acts that result in imprisonment. In the long run, these individuals will spend a better part of their lives in incarceration centers. Such a trend sets a negative precedence, thereby making it impossible for the country to achieve its criminal justice objectives.

Behavioral therapies and treatment mechanisms have helped more people in different societies avoid drugs and become responsible citizens. De Andrade et al. (2018) acknowledge that cognitive approaches are capable of empowering patients to improve their decision-making abilities and engage in attractive or acceptable activities. The adopted therapy techniques should be informed by the intended changes and the attributes of the beneficiary. The individuals will have higher chances of becoming responsive and eventually stop taking such illicit drugs. The creation of personalized programs can ensure that more sustainable outcomes are recorded, thereby making it possible for different agencies to reduce prison time.

The second solution revolves around the creation of treatment centers to support the needs of offenders who commit crimes due to drug influence. According to Berryessa and Krenzer (2020), such community resources will empower most of these citizens instead of victimizing them. The effort will play a positive role in mitigating drug-related crime and other misdemeanors. The government can channel some of the funds allocated to the criminal justice system to support such programs. The selected individuals will receive timely instructions and therapies while remaining in such centers. During this period, the beneficiaries will not be available in their respective communities or households. Such a strategy will ensure that the individuals have reduced chances of offending or using illicit drugs (Berryessa & Krenzer, 2020). The involvement of key stakeholders, including counselors, psychiatrists, and medical professionals, could make such centers successful.

The third solution that has the potential to tackle the described problem is legal. The initiative entails a new law intended to merge treatment and judicial oversight (Chamberlain et al., 2019). This policy approach will support a new strategy whereby the judicial service partners with the criminal justice system to ensure that offenders associated with drug use receive personalized and timely treatment. The involved professionals will monitor the initiatives continuously and propose legal sanctions when incarceration facilities fail to implement such guidelines. The reasoning behind this proposal is that a weak link exists when it comes to the implementation of legal requirements.

To achieve desirable outcomes from the three proposed solutions, the inclusion of experts is recommendable whenever implementing each of the outlined options. Such professionals will examine individual cases and present the best treatment regime that can deliver desirable results. They will go further to identify offenders who might require additional guidelines and therapy after completing their jail terms (Chamberlain et al., 2019). The government should be supportive of such measures if they are to remain sustainable and capable of transforming the experiences of more citizens. Timely reviews and analyses would be recommended to identify possible gaps and present better approaches to reduce prison time.

Policy Prescriptions

The most appropriate policy approach to address the identified problem is the introduction of a law that can support the combination of treatment regimes and judicial involvement. Such a policy needs to have additional provisions that will ensure that more beneficiaries record positive outcomes and become better people in their respective communities. The key provisions in the suggested law would include total compliance from the government and the involvement of the criminal justice system. These requirements call for the relevant authorities to provide adequate financial resources to support the treatment of every beneficiary (de Andrade et al., 2018). The involvement of the wider criminal justice will compel more institutions to identify most of the people in need of timely treatment for drug-related disorders.

Medical practitioners and psychotherapists involved need to receive timely payments and incentives. This legal prescription will ensure that the professionals are empowered and willing to improve the health outcomes of the identified beneficiaries. Incarceration centers will be required, under this proposed law, to provide timely support and give reports regarding the progress of the implemented treatment procedures (Berryessa & Krenzer, 2020). When all stakeholders take these legal prescriptions seriously, chances are high that more offenders will re-pattern their lives, record shorter stays in prisons, stop using illicit drugs, and eventually achieve their goals.

Conclusion

Offenders operating under the influence of addictive drugs attract a wide range of punitive measures, including incarceration. This strategy has done very little to help these criminals even though substances influence their behaviors. The absence of proper mechanisms to address this concern has led to an increasing number of incarcerated victims of drug addiction. The government needs to introduce a superior law that combines the efforts of both the judicial service and the criminal justice system to provide personalized treatment regimes. This effort has the potential to improve the image of the public health system, reduce crime, and empower more citizens to achieve their life goals.

References

Berryessa, C. M., & Krenzer, W. L. D. (2020). The stigma of addiction and effects on community perceptions of procedural justice in drug treatment courts. Journal of Drug Issues, 50(3), 303-328. Web.

Chamberlain, A., Nyamu, S., Aminawung, J., Wang, E. A., Shavit, S., & Fox, A. D. (2019). Illicit substance use after release from prison among formerly incarcerated primary care patients: A cross-sectional study. Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 14(7). Web.

de Andrade, D., Ritchie, J., Rowlands, M., Mann, E., & Hides, L. (2018). Substance use and recidivism outcomes for prison-based drug and alcohol interventions. Epidemiologic Reviews, 40(1), 121-133. Web.

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