Treating Drug Addiction in Prison
Folsom State Prison in California has begun a 90 day rehabilitation program for drug addicted offenders. The program has been quite succesfull and consideration to use the program statewide is in effect. A very large number of inmates are in jails and prisons due to drug related offenses resulting from their drug addiction. This is very good news & I hope it spreads nationwide!
Roughly two-thirds of the state's inmates return to prison within three years of release. While the three-year-old Folsom program is still relatively new, early indicators show that more than 60 percent of those who complete the program continue to seek treatment, which helps keep parolees from returning to prison.
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October 31st, 2007 at 7:14 am
I think it is quite a good idea to offer such treatment to prisoners. I might add this information in the article about drug treatment programs on my blog.
Thanks, Cathy
December 12th, 2007 at 11:27 am
I strongly beleive in offering programs to help drug addicts and alcoholics within the prison systems. The majority of those incarcerated cannot afford to attend a treatment facility, or afford health insurance. I think allowing access to help instead of just punishment will continue to increase the success rate of those released.
December 14th, 2007 at 6:00 pm
In my son’s journey through addiction and into recovery, he has had multiple opportunities to participate in Drug and alcohol treatment. I think it has been very helpful to him, as welll as introducing him to 12-step recovery. It gave him hope while in prison, and motivation to continue that process on the outside. He has not always stayed sober, but each time the length of sobriety was a little longer. Thus far, since his last incarceration, he had 11 months clean one day at a time! It always works if you work it, wherever you are!
December 15th, 2007 at 7:12 pm
I think it is a wonderful solution to offer drug and alcohol programs in jails and prisons. Many people end up committing crimes solely in pursuit of their addiction. It gives inmates a chance to truley change their lives by having a change on the inside.
February 6th, 2008 at 6:48 pm
I am glad to hear there is something now in effect. I wish this would spread through all the prisons. I had someone very close to me who was sentenced to prison and there was NO therapy. He had to kick the habit all on his own.