Criminal justice client rehabs can be considered as being a significantly better option than prison time or heavy fines for those who have been convicted of any type of drug or alcohol related crime. For example, anyone who has been in prison for dui of drugs or alcohol may be eligible to get rehabilitation services for their problem as an alternative to serving time in jail. The judge may even order that the individual receive rehab, either alone or in addition to other sentencing. First time offenders specifically tend to be given the ability to pick a criminal justice client rehab as an alternative to other sentencing, and it is well-advised they make the most of it if it's a possibility. The theory behind criminal justice client rehabs is it is way more effective and efficient to invest time and energy into rehabilitation than punishment. Much research has been done to find out how effective this approach is on recidivism rates, i.e. if the criminal justice client returns or not to criminal justice system following treatment. All indicators seem to be quite positive, and criminal justice clients who experience treatment have a much better potential for remaining out of the judicial system after rehab.