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Methadone Treatment News

Substance Abuse and Crime

Many of the crimes committed on our streets today have their roots in alcohol and drug addictions. Yet, too often we simply lock the offenders away in jail and do not try to treat the problems that led them there. This oversight is really at our own expense. When we release criminals with addictions back to our communities, they usually pick up with a new crime spree and new prison sentences. This means that our safety and our tax dollars are at their mercy.

Consider that by the end of the 1980's, about one-third of people in state prisons were there because of drug offenses -- and 60 to 70 percent had a history of substance abuse. Yet despite this, in 1991, only 13.5 percent of state prisoners were enrolled in drug programs. This gap simply does not make sense, especially when you consider that it costs less to provide treatment than to keep an inmate in jail for a year. Outpatient drug treatment averages about $3,000 to $10,000 per person, while housing an inmate in jail for a year costs close to $30,000. And studies confirm that jail alone increases the likelihood of further crimes, while substance abuse treatment decreases it.

That's why some communities have started alternative programs, such as drug courts, that make their streets safer and save taxpayers money. They also give offenders a closely supervised chance to become responsible, law-abiding taxpayers. These programs include diversionary drug courts that steer addicts who commit non-violent crimes, such as larceny or drug dealing, to treatment instead of jail; sentencing guidelines that set standards to ensure equity for jail time based on the crime; and community partnership programs that encourage police, courts, prosecutors, probation and parole officers, treatment providers and citizens to work together to create healthy and safe environments that benefit all of us.

When community groups and criminal justice agencies join together to provide treatment for offenders, the rates of success is high. For instance, a community-policing program in one of the highest crime areas in Kansas City, Missouri, has reduced crime by 13 percent, compared to a 6 percent reduction nationwide. And in two Kansas City neighborhoods, crime is down 22 and 28 percent after the police have gone a step further and established "community action networks." These centers are staffed by teams of community police officers, code inspectors, and neighborhood volunteers. In addition, the state of California found that illegal activity dropped 43.3 percent after providing treatment.