Can Going To Rehab Help My Court Case?
One of the many hallmarks of substance abuse addiction is trouble with the law. This is because the social circle of someone suffering from addiction changes into people who support the addiction, and take part in it as well. You may be hanging out in shady areas and doing shady activities all in the name of getting your next fix. This can involve violence, stealing money or goods to pay for drugs or alcohol, or acting extremely out of character in other ways due to your impairment of judgement.
If you happen to fall into some trouble with the law because of your addiction, there are options for you. You can choose to get the help you need in order to get less jail time, or no jail time at all, and be able to live your life free of the felony stamp. You can also request to be sentenced to a stay in rehab instead of a stay in jail. These are all options to talk to your lawyer about and see which one is right for you, given the severity of your crime and the law that you broke.
Showing effort
If you request to go to rehab, or go on your own accord prior to sentencing, then you are showing the judge effort which can go a long way. Most people, including judges, understand that the disease of addiction makes you do things you would never normally do. Addiction is powerful, and can make you say and do many things that are out of character. One of these things is breaking the law.
Going to treatment for your addiction shows that you understand the gravity if your situation, and that you are ready to make a major change in your life. This can go a long way in the courtroom, especially if you are a first-time offender or have committed a nonviolent crime.
Recidivism
Simply put: going to jail is costly on taxpayers, and when people are in and out of jail constantly, it is even more expensive. Taxpayers need to pay for your food, your clothes and the operating costs of the jail while you are there. Rehab is far less expensive than jail, which saves the state and local government money. They don’t want you to go in and out of jail, so if you are able to show that you are ready to make a long-term change in your life in an effort to not return to jail, then it may be seen in your favor.
According to Merriam-Webster, recidivism is defined as a tendency to relapse into a previous condition or mode of behavior, especially criminal behavior when an individual goes in and out of jail on multiple occasions. When you are in jail, you are not able to work and provide for yourself or your family. Instead, that becomes the burden of the taxpayers. This is likely to happen if you never get help for your addiction. However, if you do go to treatment and become sober, you can become a productive member of society.
Can I go to rehab instead of jail?
Jail is known for being a scary, tough place. Nobody wants to go to jail, especially someone who has never been there before. Therefore, going to rehab and getting real help for your addiction can look like a much more desirable option. If you’re wondering if you can request rehab over jail time, it is important to speak to your lawyer since every jurisdiction has different laws and regulations.
However, these general guidelines will serve well in your favor:
- If you are a first or second time offender and do not have a history of violent or sexual crimes on your record
- If you were arrested for a drug-related crime
- If you have a history of addiction
- If you were under the influence when you committed a crime
- If you can prove that your addiction contributed to your actions
- If you are willing to follow any treatment and stick to it
Alternatively, being able to successfully request rehab over jail time may not serve in your favor if you have done any of the following:
- If you committed a violent crime
- If you committed a sexual offense
- If you are suffering from a mental condition
It is extremely important to talk to your attorney about the right option or path for you to take. They will be able to let you know what you can do and your likelihood of avoiding, or reducing, jail time.
About Pinelands Recovery Center
If you are ready to get serious about your recovery from addiction and hopefully avoid any life-long consequences that jail time may give you, we are here for you. We understand that addiction is a disease and makes you act in ways that you never normally would have, including breaking the law. You can put your issues with the law behind you, and live a life free from addiction.
Pinelands Recovery Center of Medford is widely known as one of New Jersey’s finest, most respected addiction treatment facilities. With comfortable 30-bed accommodations and a 24-hour professional staff, we can offer clients a serene, relaxing environment amid the lush piney woods. This stress-free setting with its sense of warmth and welcoming enables you to feel comfortable and confident about your clean and sober life ahead.
We will establish clear goals, both general in nature and specific to your needs. We continue to monitor those goals, to make sure that our clients are progressing and buying into their recovery plan. We thrive on assisting clients in feeling connected to the recovery community, share and demonstrate effective coping techniques, help clients to modify attitudes and patterns of behavior and everything else you will need to be happy and productive living a sober, healthy life.
We ensure that clients complete their planned concrete tasks, encourage hope, optimism and
healthy living. Our recovery program is not a revolving door treatment program; it is a recovery model designed to help clients go on to lead productive, happy lives. For more information, visit pinelandsrecovery.com