Prison-Based Drug Addiction Treatment

Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer notes that there is an ongoing debate in the United States concerning the most effective and most appropriate treatment for those convicted of drug offenses in that it is the belief of some that funding should be increased for treating drug addiction in prisons. However, the writer points out that the opposing argument holds that this is not the most appropriate manner of addressing drug addiction. The writer demonstrates that the costs of prison drug- addiction treatment, in monetary terms and in terms of the cost borne by society-at-large far exceed the benefits of prison-based drug-addiction treatment programs. The writer concludes that the research has broadened the knowledge held concerning this issue and has moved the researcher toward more emphatic, confident and further support of alternative sentencing for drug offenders versus incarceration.

Outline:
Overview
Arguments and Evidence in Support
Critical Analysis of Protest against Prison-Based Treatment
Strongest Point Against
Weakest Point
Critical Analysis of Opposing Group's Position
Strongest Point
Weakest Point
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"The strongest point against prison-based treatment is the interruption of working, productive individuals, father and mothers, in fulfilling their daily responsibilities to their families, their employers and society-at-large, specifically when drug court or other treatment programs are readily available to assist these individuals in becoming drug-free. Drug court and other treatment programs have been found to be more effective, less costly, and more effective in the long-term than imprisonment for drug offenses. Since nearly 1/2 of drug offenders are employed full-time according to the literature in the foregoing review and many of these individuals do have children or are neighbors who care for children and positively contribute to society, imprisonment at a higher cost in monetary terms in addition to the other costs to society make prison sentences for drug offenses ludicrous placing a very large question mark above the 'intentions' of laws and policies that mandate prison sentences for drug offenses. Furthermore, privatization of prisons in the United States has turned prisons into a competitive business with quotas of prisoners needed to fill the capacity of these prisons so that prisons will receive funding for the prisoner's incarcerated to ensure their profits and incoming funds. "

Sample of Sources Used:

• The Federal Prison Population: A Statistical Analysis (2004) The Sentencing Project. Online available at: http://www.sentencingproject.org/Admin/Documents/publications/inc_federalprisonpop.pdf
• Clay, Rebecca (2006) Incarceration vs. Treatment: Drug Courts Help Substance Abusing Offenders. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration News March/April Vol. 14. No.2. Online available at: http://www.samhsa.gov/samhsa_news/VolumeXIV_2/index.htm
• Shaffer, Deborah; Bechtel, Kristin; and Latessa, Edward J. (2005) Evaluation of Ohio's Drug Courts: A Cost Benefit Analysis. Center for Criminal Justice Research Dec 2005. Online available at: http://www.uc.edu/criminaljustice/ProjectReports/Ohio_Drug_Courts_Cost_Benefit_Analysis_2005.pdf
• Drug Court Benefits (nd) Online NCDI.org available at: http://www.ndci.org/courtfacts_benefits.html
• Kleiner, Kurt (2005) Marijuana Might Cause New Cell Growth in the Brain. New Scientist. 13 October 2005. Online available at: http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn8155.html

More papers on Prison-Based Drug Addiction Treatment:

• Research Paper # 107726 : "Psychoanalysis and the Treatment of Drug Addiction"
• Research Proposal # 133734 : "Drug Offender Treatment Programs"
• Analytical Essay # 128910 : "Drug Addiction - Brain Disease or Moral Issue?"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: