Two thirds of Americans would rather see nonviolent drug offenders enter into a rehabilitation center rather than be incarcerated (National Institute on Drug Abuse). One way of implementing treatment would be replacing prisons with “home-like residential communities” or anti-prisons as James Gilligan, New York University professor of psychiatry and author states in his article in the New York Times. Such communities would provide forms of therapy and education so that the offender had the capabilities of receiving a high school or college degree. Programs like these have been implemented in the San Francisco jail system and have proven to be 100 percent effective in reducing recidivism rates as well as reduce levels of violence. With people living in residential areas, they would socially benefit by being surrounded by people in the same situation as them. After getting a college degree, they could easily fit back into …show more content…
Gil Kerlikowske, a former police chief and current director of the national drug policy said the community should recognize that substance addiction is a chronic disease of the brain and can be effectively prevented and treated. Kerlikowske believes society should work together on a program to treat abusers and help addicts recover by exploring a reform in the justice system to stop the never ending cycle of recidivism. Once released, the addict returns straight to the drug use and is eventually sent back to prison rather than becoming a member of society. Along with failing to become part of their community, the return to prison and increased rates in recidivism causes major problems with prison overcrowding. Although illegal drug abuse has dropped in the past 30 years, there are still around 20 million Americans who could put treatment and rehabilitation programs to