Is an In-Prison Drug Treatment Program Good for Females?

By janice

Studies over the years have shown that three out of four people incarnated today, would benefit from drug rehab and substance abuse programs that are offered in prison. Unfortunately, some states are looking to cut these programs in order to save money. And what is unfortunate too, is that many of the programs offered, are filled to capacity, and those wishing to enter them while they are in prison are forced to wait months and even years in order to get involved in them.

The penalties for offenses which involve drugs are harsh, and these programs are sometimes denied from the people who need them the most. Prisoners who are suffering with an addiction, and who do not receive the benefits of the programs are not only left to suffer, but they usually end up spending more time in jail, costing the state more money in the covering of the costs of that incarceration. These programs benefit everyone involved. For women, a rehab that is designed just for them, speaks directly to the issues that they, as women, are dealing with and trying to get a grasp on.

In his book, “The Gift of Fear”, Gavin de Becker states the result of his own study. He went to every prison that had a death row. One hundred percent of the men on death row in the United States, were victims of severe child abuse. For women, many of those in the prison systems today, have been victims of domestic violence or sexual assault. They need a safe place when they are recovering from addiction.

So in this case, they need a place without male presence. The women can build up their trust in an environment that can focus directly on their issues at hand. Studies have shown that when people have been charge with and imprisoned due to drug offenses, and they do receive treatment in jail, the number of those committing those same crimes again significantly drops. And again, this is good for everyone involved, the individual themselves and society as a whole.