Program Review Sample
Program Review Sample Alcohol and Drug Treatment Program in the Criminal Justice System
Over the decades people have been committing offences under some influence of intoxicating substances. The criminal justice system has created a program that deals with offences of that nature. Besides, possession of drugs is much of a crime like robbery and identity theft. Reviewing statistics, it is clear that finding a solution to the problem of smuggling and abuse of substance is better than and cheaper that incarceration. This program was integrated to the criminal justice system to help offenders get through their addiction and substance abuse. Some offenses that can be committed by an individual who have been having a lot to drink may include: Violation of traffic rules and regulations; causing disturbance to the general public; trespassing to restricted areas; cause of domestic abuse leading to injuries or even worse.
For the abuse of drugs and/or smuggling, a number of offences are committed. Some of these offenses may include; possession of illegal drugs/substances; selling or intention to do so, hyper active behavior that may lead to disturbing behaviors like murder, possibility of operating illegal cartels that would oversee the trading of these drugs and substances. For all the offences that may be committed by the possession or abuse of these drugs and substances, some are not intentional and to figure that out, the criminal justice system introduces the alcohol and drug treatment program.
The use of this program is to put offenders of relevant nature into a course that remedies or tries to reinstate their initial state of mind. The unclear state of mind that makes people to commit crimes when they are under the influence is caused by alteration of the normal function of the brain. With the alteration of the normal brain activity, chances are, an individual will make poor judgment or experience a state of memory lapses. With the substances and alcohol being catalysts of crime and other unlawful acts, the criminal justice system uses this program to reprogram the individuals back to expected modes of behaviors.
With the integration of alcohol and drug treatment program in the criminal justice system, long sentences can be shortened without the need of parole or serving jail term. The courts exercise the power that they are given by the constitution and also the exceptions that may be made. A court can decide to extend the sentence of an offender for a few more months in order to have the offender rehabilitated from the use of drugs or alcohol drugs. However, the use of the alcohol and drug treatment program is to allow the offenders the chance to reform from their behavior through counseling and refrain from people, acts, places and urges that may lead them into getting back to the acts of abusing substance or drinking again.
It is speculated that in a court of law and offender could evade jail time by arguing temporary insanity, alcohol and substance influence. The fact to this is; the alcohol and drug treatment program has minimal entry point to be scored before one could jump to it. A history that shows that persistence on the use of a certain drug or previous arrests about the same are some start points to go by. With previous history and evidence ofsubstance abuse, an offender can be subjected or allowed to take the assistance of the program. However, the program doesn’t act as the escape route from the sentencing that could end up being sought if acts were committed in clear mental state. The function of the program is to help people with the problem. However, the same program helps the criminal justice to solve other neglected or overlooked pieces of the cases.
A criminal or an alleged criminal committed a crime that cost the lives of innocent people gets admitted into the program in order to evade life time or 20 year imprisonment. This may go well for the perpetrator initially; but can turn out pretty badly for him/her. This is because in the program, data is collected and analyzed to keep track of the proceedings of recovery. Data in the alcohol and drug treatment program is collected through recording of daily activities, keeping of files that indicate the proceedings and response of the perpetrator to the rehabilitation program, and therapeutic sessions’ findings. Some cases require therapy that is conducted by psychologists. The therapy can be part of a mandatory counseling or recommended for special cases.
Before the data can be compiled and collected, the program uses certain methods of collecting the data. The data that is required should be relevant to the kind of case that is addressed. If one is admitted to the program for the abuse of cocaine or marijuana, the data that would be expected for this case(s) would be from the therapist, psychologist, the person himself and caretakers who treat him/her occasionally. Interviews can be held in confidential setting between an individual and his/her counselor; or it can be held with the presence of a third party that would record or take notes on the same. ‘Some individuals are not very friendly or social enough to be talked to hence the requirement of an observatory system to monitor the behaviors of offenders while alone, with colleagues or with authority’.
It is not always the duty of observers or interviews to get the information, other methods and ways are applicable. The methods include grouping the perpetrators according to their problems; whether abuse of drugs, smuggling and use of drugs or addiction to alcohol. After the grouping of a random person is selected to conduct an orderly discussion on how the member of the group got to the situations they are in noting down their confessions on how the program is helping. This method of data collection requires some form of organization in which besides the staff who oversee the proceedings of the program; would employ a reliable criterion that doesn’t compromise the boundaries of responsibility. This method may leave room for inaccuracyespecially where perpetrators understand the meaning of the data. For the elimination of the potential risk of biasness that may pave way for early releases of perpetrators who are driven by the urge to resume drinking or abuse of drugs, supplementation of by counter observation is opted.
