Brian Hartmann

Karlianne Seri

WRT 102.72

08 April 2018

Substance Abuse and Prison Time – The Revolving Door

Ever since President Nixon named substance abuse public enemy number one in 1971, drugs have become the single largest reason people are thrown in jail. For many decades leading up to today, the US waged the war on drugs, resulting in lots criminal drug offenders being imprisoned. The public saw this as a positive, as drug dealers were taken off the streets. As time went on it became evident that the United States was losing the drug war, as drug use among citizens skyrocketed regardless, and jails filled up with drug dealers and citizens on hard times alike. Today, as substance abuse is the highest it has ever been, prisons are filled up with more addicts then ever. Out of all prisoners incarcerated across the United States, more than 65% meet the criteria of substance abuse and addiction, and 85% when including alcohol and other related crimes. As many drug offenses no longer have carry as severe penalties as before, many have the ability to leave jail and have the opportunity to start over. But many of these prisoners relapse after their release due to drugs and alcohol, and end up back in jail – a revolving door for many addicts. It may seem like some of these repeat offenders do not want help, but in reality, out of every dollar spent on prisoners, only 1.9 cents go to addiction treatment. Most prisons and jails across the US neglect the substance abuse issues among prisoners, and still use the abstinence model, if they can’t get drugs they can’t be addicted. By reforming prison policies and instating new prison reform with ways to identify substance abuse, treat users, and plans for rehabilitation after release, America take drugs and users off the streets and rehabilitate valuable citizens of the United States.

Addiction is not a simple issue for those affected by it. Addiction can change a person’s brain chemistry, alter their motives in life, and make them into a very different person, and not in a positive way. The downwards spiral of addiction and substance abuse can usually motivate ordinary people to do things they would have never done previously. Few turn for help, others could overdose at any moment, and many become criminal. Too many people are on this destructive path in life, over 21.5 million, and many land in prison on account of drug charges and related crimes. Today, prisons are filled with inmates riddled with substance abuse pasts. In fact, the inmate population in the U.S. has quadrupled since 1980. Across the United States, “Of the more than 2.3 million people in American prisons and jails, more than 65 percent meet medical criteria for substance abuse addiction,” and in addition to this, by factoring in “those who have histories of substance abuse, were under the influence when they committed a crime, committed it to get drug money, or were incarcerated for a drug or alcohol violation, the percentage rises to 85 percent” (Sack). This sad fact displays how drugs and alcohol are the leading factors in imprisonment, and hows how drugs can control masses of people to a life a crime. Even inmates behind bars who have had their decisions impaired by the influence of drugs at the time of the crimes they committed is categorized as substance abuse, showing the reach that drugs can have on a person. It would make sense that prisons and jail systems would have lots of groups and rehabilitation with up to 85% having difficulties with substance abuse, but this is not the case. Treatment is still very rare to be received by the worst addicts in prison, and fact that The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse found that “only 11 percent of inmates with substance use disorders received treatment at federal and state prisons or local jails” is shocking (Sack). Along with this the National Institute on Drug Abuse states that “not only is there a gap in the availability of these services for offenders, but often there are few choices in the types of services provided” (National). Those who want to receive help with their addiction while incarcerated most likely will not have the chance, especially those in small counties. Even the 11% of addicts who have the privilege to receive help, do not receive adequate help to keep them clean and prevent relapse. The Journal of the American Medical Association even reported that “good programs are rare” and prisons “typically rely on the abstinence-only model which fails miserably with heroin addicts” (Addiction). The fact that prisons still rely on the abstinence model, which is known to be ineffective, shows how out of place old laws are. Without access to treatment behind bars, those who wish to receive it or not, have a significantly high chance of returning to jail, claimed by the NIDA as well. This can affect others as well as themselves, and addicts can go right back to hurting themselves, or communities.

New prison reform is needed across the United States. The most potentially effective ways combat addiction in prisons is to have alternates to prison time, before addicts end up in jail. Over the past decade, some prisons across the U.S. as well as entire states have instituted new programs to combat substance abuse. In Maryland, lawmakers have recently worked to pass prison reform in their prisons and jails. They determined that “a person who is sentenced for a first-time drug offense be given drug treatment or up to 12 months of jail time. A fourth offense would receive drug treatment or up to 24 months of jail time. Under current law, a first-time offender could receive up to four years in prison” (Wiggins). Giving those who have a first time drug charge a chance to come clean instead of prison as well as those relapsing back on multiple accounts, is a step in the right direction. This helps those who just began the fall of substance abuse to change their lives, as well as many stuck in the cycle on and off drugs and in and out of jail. Maryland also proposed to treat drug offenders as non-violent criminals and offer “drug offenders the same number of credits to reduce their sentences as are given to other nonviolent offenders” (Wiggins). Along with these new policies, Maryland is also passed laws to reduced prison sentences to drug offenders and eliminate mandatory minimum sentences. These laws work towards rehabilitation and treatment of prisons rather than filling up jail cells. Laws like this need to be passed around the U.S. and as Senator Robert Zirkin of Maryland state said “‘We’re in the first inning of a long game’” (Wiggins).

Laws similar to the ones passed in Maryland, can be in crucial to jails overflowing with prisoners. similar to those in Westmoreland County Jail in Pennsylvania. WestmoreLand Jail has been struggling with inmate populations, and has an average inmate population of 651 with a total capacity of 711 inmates. The Warden, John Walton, states that “‘Our biggest Problem is space’” and “We only have a certain amount of space for programing [rehabilitation]’” (Warden). The influx of prisoners needed for drug treatment has overwhelmed this jail and programs cannot keep up. The jail runs voluntary “Alcohol Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings, overdose prevention classes” and “sessions with a certified drug-and-alcohol recovery specialist” for inmates, all funded by private sources. But, most inmates do not have a chance to get help they need in these programs and Walton claims that “‘problem is the average stay for sentenced inmates in 135 days, and it’s about 42 days (to accommodate) everyone. So not every class is offered while some are here’” (Wiggins). Even jails that have moved in the right direction to help prisoners with substance abuse do not allocate enough resources to help all before leaving, and can lead to addicts returning back to drugs and crime. And, these resources are provided by private donations and volunteers, and the county isn’t putting any more money into the jail to help solve the issue. The worst part about this is that by helping addicts return to society and remain out of jail, prisons could save $90,000 per inmate in the law system and prison housing (Sack).

“good programs are rare” and Prisons “typically rely on the abstinence-only model” (Addiction).

Works Cited

“Warden: More than 70 percent of new inmates in Westmoreland jail addicted to drugs.” Tribune-Review [Greensburg, PA], 31 July 2017. Opposing Viewpoints In Context, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A499634007/OVIC?u=sunysb&sid=OVIC&xid=1ca1383f. Accessed 4 Apr. 2018.

Wiggins, Ovetta. “Drug treatment touted over prison time in sentencing proposals.” Washington Post, 17 Dec. 2015. Opposing Viewpoints In Context, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A437762439/OVIC?u=sunysb&sid=OVIC&xid=c9a9d84d. Accessed 2 Apr. 2018.

“Addiction Behind Bars.” New York Times, 13 Apr. 2009, p. A20(L). Opposing Viewpoints In Context,]http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A197649238/OVIC?u=sunysb&sid=OVIC&xid=f26e466c. Accessed 4 Apr. 2018.

Sack, David. “We can’t afford to ignore drug addiction in prison.” The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2014/08/14/we-cant-afford-to-ignore-drug-addiction-in-prison/?utm_term=.f27d00800ba2. Accessed 28 March 2018.

Quinones, Sam. “Addicts Need Help. Jails Could Have the Answer.” The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/16/opinion/sunday/opioid-epidemic-kentucky-jails.html. Accessed 2 April 2018.