Criminal justice client rehabs can be considered being a significantly better option than incarceration or significant fines for those who have been convicted of any type of alcohol or drug related crime. As an example, a person who has been found guilty of driving drunk of drugs or alcohol may qualify for rehabilitation services because of their problem instead of serving time in prison. The judge might order the individual receive rehabilitation, either alone or along with other sentencing. First-time offenders specifically will often be given the ability to go with a criminal justice client rehab instead of other sentencing, and it is highly recommended they make the most of it when it is a choice. The theory behind criminal justice client rehabs is it is way more effective and efficient to invest time and effort into treatment than punishment. Much research has been done to observe how effective this approach is on recidivism rates, i.e. if the individual returns or not to criminal justice system following treatment. All indicators seem quite positive, and criminal justice clients who experience rehab have better potential for remaining out of the system after rehab.