Criminal justice client rehabs are available as a far better option than prison time or significant fines for many who have already been convicted of any kind of drug or alcohol related crime. By way of example, somebody who has been in prison for driving while impaired of alcohol or drugs may qualify to obtain treatment services because of their problem as opposed to serving time in prison. The judge might even order that the individual receive treatment, either alone or in addition to other consequences. First time offenders in particular in many cases are given the ability to choose a criminal justice client rehab as opposed to other sentencing, and it is well-advised they make the most of it if it's an alternative. The theory behind criminal justice client rehabs is that it is much more effective and efficient to invest commitment into rehab than punishment. Much research has been done to see how effective this process is on recidivism rates, i.e. if the individual returns or not to criminal justice system following rehab. All indicators seem to be quite positive, and criminal justice clients who do take part in treatment have a better chance of remaining out of the judicial system after rehab.