Addiction statistics tend to be rising more than ever within our society. One of the most unfortunate realities in regard to the addiction epidemic is the massive disparity between the amount of those struggling and those actually receiving treatment. According to a paper titled Defining the Addiction Treatment Gap released by the Open Society Foundations, “An estimated 23.5 million Americans are currently addicted to alcohol and/ or other drugs and need treatment and other supportive services. Unfortunately, only one in 10 of them (2.6 million) receives the treatment they need.” This leaves an unacceptable amount of people still struggling with addiction. Sometimes addicts resort to crime just so that they can get the help they need to overcome their addictions.
One of the large issues is that while there are many who are refusing or deciding against help, there are also those who are seeking help desperately and still find themselves without treatment. This is often the case when individuals with a lack of resources are attempting to find state or federal funded treatment that they can attend. State and federal facilities often have long wait lists due to lack of funding, or lack of bed availability. Sometimes, addicts have tried to get into treatment several different times, only to be turned down due to the above, or other reasons. This can be very disheartening for those who want to overcome their addiction.
When these individuals who are seeking help with their addiction hit these types of barriers, it can sometimes lead to unconventional solutions being used to get themselves treatment. Many addicts resort to crime in an attempt to get themselves imprisoned. While this may sound counterproductive, the reality is that many are doing it because of the fact that prisons will sometimes offer rehabilitation programs for addicts. The fact that individuals are resorting to crime solely for receiving addiction treatment shows how desperate the problem has truly become.
A Paradigm Shift in the Battle with Addiction
The effectiveness of imprisoning addicts solely for punishment has been under scrutiny for years. When addicts are imprisoned and do not receive any sort of addiction treatment, they often end up relapsing shortly after being released. Whereas, when an addict is imprisoned and does receive addiction treatment, especially when wanted, it can often have positive results. This is not to say that addicts having to go to prison just to receive treatment is a best practice, as the resources for treatment should be made more widely available so it does not have to resort to this.
The emphasis of treatment over imprisonment has been becoming a much more prominent factor in the battle with addiction in our society. There has begun to be a paradigm shift of placing addicts in treatment instead of simply imprisoning them. And while this is absolutely a good push, it is still in a transition stage. Meaning, there are still those being imprisoned without any sort of treatment, though the numbers are lessening. As this shift continues to develop, more and more individuals will be receiving the treatment they desperately need, and many times want.
What We Can Do When Addicts Resort to Crime for Treatment
Finding treatment can sometimes be a difficult situation, but we have been able to help many people find the right treatment center. When addicts resort to crime as a means of getting treatment, we need to double our efforts in providing affordable, obtainable treatment. Our advisors are here to help find a center that will fit the criteria for you or your loved one. We are experienced and knowledgeable in the treatment centers across the country and can help you to find the right fit. Give us a call today and we will help find you or your loved one the perfect private inpatient treatment center.
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