Criminal justice client rehabs can be considered as a significantly better option than time in jail or heavy fines for many who have already been convicted of any sort of alcohol or drug related crime. As an example, someone who has been in prison for driving while impaired of alcohol or drugs may be eligible to get rehab services for their problem instead of serving time in prison. The judge could even order the individual receive treatment, either alone or in addition to other consequences. First-time offenders specifically in many cases are given the ability to pick a criminal justice client rehab as opposed to other sentencing, and it is well-advised they reap the benefits of it when it is an alternative. The theory behind criminal justice client rehabs is that it is far more effective and efficient to invest commitment into treatment than punishment. Much research has been carried out to observe how effective this method is on recidivism rates, i.e. if the individual returns or not to criminal justice system following rehabilitation. The signs and indicators appear to be quite positive, and criminal justice clients who take part in treatment have better potential for remaining out of the judicial system following rehabilitation.