Criminal justice client rehabs can be considered like a significantly better option than prison time or significant fines for many who have already been convicted of any kind of alcohol or drug related crime. For example, someone who has been in prison for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs may be eligible for rehab services because of their problem as an alternative to serving time in jail. The judge might order that the individual receive rehabilitation, either alone or as well as other sentencing. First time offenders specifically in many cases are given the opportunity to choose a criminal justice client rehab as an alternative to other sentencing, and it is well-advised that they benefit from it when it is an alternative. The theory behind criminal justice client rehabs is it is way more efficient and effective to invest time and energy into rehab than punishment. Much research has been completed to find out how effective this strategy is on recidivism rates, i.e. if the individual returns or not to criminal justice system following rehab. All indicators seem quite positive, and criminal justice clients who experience treatment have a much better possibility of remaining out of the system following rehab.