Criminal justice client rehabs can be considered as being a far better option than prison time or heavy fines for those who have already been convicted of any kind of drug or alcohol related crime. For instance, someone who has been found guilty of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs may qualify to obtain rehab services for problem instead of serving time in jail. The judge might order the individual receive rehab, either alone or in addition to other sentencing. First-time offenders specifically in many cases are given the ability to pick a criminal justice client rehab as an alternative to other sentencing, and it is well-advised they take advantage of it if it's a choice. The theory behind criminal justice client rehabs is it is much more effective and efficient to invest commitment into treatment than punishment. Much research has been carried out to see how effective this process is on recidivism rates, i.e. if the criminal justice client returns or not to criminal justice system following rehabilitation. All indicators seem to be quite positive, and criminal justice clients who do take part in rehab have a better potential for remaining out of the judicial system after treatment.