Criminal justice client rehabs are available as a far better option than prison time or significant fines for those who have been convicted of any type of drug or alcohol related crime. As an example, somebody who has been in prison for driving drunk of alcohol or drugs may be eligible to get rehab services for his or her problem as opposed to serving time in prison. The judge could even order that the individual receive treatment, either alone or in addition to other sentencing. Very first time offenders in particular in many cases are given the ability to go with a criminal justice client rehab as opposed to other sentencing, and it is highly recommended that they make the most of it if it is an option. The theory behind criminal justice client rehabs is it is much more effective and efficient to invest time and energy into treatment than punishment. Much research has been carried out to observe how effective this strategy is on recidivism rates, i.e. if the individual returns or not to criminal justice system following rehab. The signs and indicators seem to be quite positive, and criminal justice clients who do take part in rehab have better potential for remaining out of the judicial system after rehabilitation.