Decided to post this very interesting study about drug rehabilitation success, please read careful, there are some very interesting data about numbers and other realted to paid and free drug rehabs:
The Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act of 2000 seeks to divert non-
violent drug offenders out of the criminal justice system and into drug treatment.
Research shows that treatment improves drug users’ health, reduces criminal
activity, and saves precious tax dollars.
Treatment improves the health of drug addicts and reduces related health
care costs placed on the public. The 1994 California Drug and Alcohol Treatment
Assessment (CALDATA) found that people receiving alcohol and drug treatment
were hospitalized one-third less often after completing treatment than before
entering such a program. And the 1996 National Treatment Improvement
Evaluation Study (NTIES) found that substance abuse-related medical visits
decreased by more than 50 percent following treatment, while in-patient mental
health visits decreased by more than 25 percent.
Treatment is the most cost-effective way to deal with drug dependent persons.
The CALDATAreport found that a dollar invested in alcohol and drug treatment
results in over seven dollars in social savings due to reductions in crime and
health care costs. Another 1994 study by the Rand Corporation found that each
additional dollar invested in treatment for cocaine addiction resulted in $7.46
worth of savings in societal cost due to reduced crime and increased productivity.
Treatment was rated as 14 times more effective than incarceration in reducing
these social costs of drug abuse.
Treatment also reduces the criminal activity of drug dependent persons.
According to the CALDATA report, criminal activity declined by two-thirds
after treatment. The NTIES found that individuals who completed treatment
were arrested 64 percent less likely to be arrested in the 12 months following
treatment than they had been in the 12 months preceding treatment. The 1997
Drug Abuse Treatment Outcome Study (DATOS) found that outpatient methadone
treatment reduced criminal activity by 57 percent.
Finally, treatment can improve employment opportunities and reduce
dependence on welfare for drug dependent individuals. The NTIES research
found that 19 percent more persons received income from jobs within 12 months
of completing treatment, and 11 percent fewer persons received welfare benefits.
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