Criminal justice client rehabs can be considered being a significantly better option than time in jail or heavy fines for those who have been convicted of any sort of drug or alcohol related crime. For example, anyone who has been found guilty of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs may qualify for rehabilitation services because of their problem as an alternative to serving time in prison. The judge might even order the individual receive rehab, either alone or along with other consequences. Very first time offenders in particular will often be given the ability to choose a criminal justice client rehab as opposed to other sentencing, and it is well-advised that they take advantage of it if it's an option. The theory behind criminal justice client rehabs is it is much more effective and efficient to invest time and effort into treatment than enforcement of other consequences. Much research has been carried out to observe how effective this strategy is on recidivism rates, i.e. if the criminal justice client returns or not to criminal justice system following treatment. The signs and indicators seem quite positive, and criminal justice clients who take part in rehab have a much better potential for remaining out of the judicial system after treatment.