For decades, drug addiction and alcohol abuse has contributed significantly to crime rates across the nation.
In 1980, 40,900 people were incarcerated for drug offenses.
In 2013, that number had jumped to 489,000. That’s nearly half a million people.
Why the shift? Because the vast majority of drug arrests now are for possession. This means lot of addicts end up in the criminal justice system — not at a rehab facility.
And in numerous states and cities, a large part of spending for drug abuse, addiction and mental health services goes to the prison system. For example, Chicago is home to the nation’s largest mental health facility: the Cook County Jail. Why? Because so many inmates arrested for drug possession said their drug use was an attempt at self-medication for a mental health problem.
Here are the three most compelling reasons addiction should be treated as a disease not a crime:
1. The American Psychiatric Association classifies addiction as a disease
According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), addiction is “a brain disease that is manifested by compulsive substance use.” Clinicians, researchers, and physicians make it clear that people with addiction “keep using alcohol or a drug even when they know it will cause problems.”
In other words, addicts are not the same as criminals who know they’re breaking the law. Changes in the brain’s wiring causes addicts to have intense cravings for a particular drug — which makes it extremely difficult to stop using. According to the APA, those with a substance use disorder experience distorted thinking and behavior. They aren’t “choosing” addiction in the same way a criminal “chooses” to break the law ― they have a serious problem and they’re trying to use drugs and alcohol to deal with it.
Those suffering from drug abuse and alcoholism are already struggling, and quite often fighting themselves to overcome their addiction. They shouldn’t be imprisoned for it; they should be offered help.
2. The state would save billions if it stopped incarcerating for drug abuse
Countries that have decriminalized possession of small amounts of illegal drugs have seen dramatic decreases in continuous drug use in their populations. For example, beginning in 2001, Portugal made huge changes in how it dealt with drug abuse and criminalization.
First, it shifted drug control from the Justice Department to the Ministry of Health, and enacted a large-scale public health model for treating serious drug addiction.
Second, if someone in Portugal is found with a less than 10-day supply of illegal drugs (such as marijuana or heroin), they are not jailed. Instead, they’re sent to a three-person Commission for Dissuasion of Drug Addiction. The commission — typically comprised of a lawyer, a doctor and a social worker — either recommends treatment or a minor fine.
After implementing such decriminalization policies, Portugal saw a massive decrease in imprisonment for drug-related charges. Law enforcement officials were stunned. The country also saw a dramatic increase in visits to treatment centers that deal with addiction and disease.
Imagine if state and national officials took a similar approach to the drug crisis in the U.S. If first-time drug offenders were evaluated for addiction and mental health issues, there’s a strong possibility these so-called “criminals” would get the treatment and care they need, instead of ending up in prison.
Long-term prisoners cost taxpayers and the U.S. government billions of dollars each year, and countless more billions in the social services needed to help families affected by having a member in prison.
3. Those billions could go toward rehab instead ― which ends drug use for good
Many of those suffering from drug or alcohol addiction have a co-occurring mental health problem, such as clinical depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. They use drugs or alcohol to self-medicate very real trauma, pain, and illness. Worse yet, some addicts end up engaging in criminal activity as a way to pay for the drugs on which they’ve developed a chemical dependence.
The criminal justice system is not a fresh start for a drug addict or mentally ill person ― it’s the end of the road. Prisons are not designed to be rehabilitation facilities, but many states spend a large portion of their budget for substance abuse and mental health services on jails and incarcerated individuals. This money could — and should — go toward rehab centers and treatment centers that actually help people overcome addiction and become productive, sober members of society.
The fact is, to actually end addiction, you must treat the addict, not imprison him or her. As treatment is expensive, using the billions saved by ceasing to incarcerate addicts is only logical.
If someone flagged for drug possession was evaluated for substance abuse and mental illness and given the option to go to rehab instead of jail, they’d have an actual shot at getting better. They would get the treatment they so desperately need, in a safe environment (not prison, where they’re likely to be further traumatized). They could explore the underlying causes of the addiction to stop it at its root, thus stopping the cycle for good.
It’s time to treat addiction like the disease it is
According to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, more than 65% of people in prison meet the medical criteria for substance abuse addiction. That’s just shy of 1.5 million human beings, all with family, friends, and loved ones.
Fortunately, almost all states already have a wide variety of both luxury and payment-assisted rehab centers for those struggling with addiction. If you or someone you know suffers from substance abuse or mental illness, Rehab.com has one of the most comprehensive listing of inpatient and outpatient rehab facilities in the U.S. Don’t wait until a drug or alcohol dependency gets worse to seek treatment. Find a reputable facility and get help immediately.
The bottom line is this: Rehab centers and treatment facilities should be the first step for drug addiction and substance abuse recovery, not jail.
Once we start treating addicts as people with a disease — not criminals — the crime rate will drop. Plus, more families will stay intact which will likely drop the rate even further. And as treatment takes hold, the number of addicts will drop, eventually, to zero.
It’s time to end the cycle of incarceration of those who need help — for the sake of ourselves and our collective future.