Criminal justice client rehabs can be considered as being a far better option than jail time or heavy fines for individuals who have already been convicted of any type of alcohol or drug related crime. For instance, someone who has been found guilty of driving while impaired of alcohol or drugs may be eligible to get rehabilitation services because of their problem as opposed to serving time in prison. The judge could even order that the individual receive rehab, either alone or in addition to other sentencing. First time offenders in particular tend to be given the opportunity to go with a criminal justice client rehab instead of other sentencing, and it is well-advised they benefit from it if it's a possibility. The theory behind criminal justice client rehabs is that it is far more effective and efficient to invest commitment into rehab than punishment. Much research has been completed to see how effective this approach is on recidivism rates, i.e. if the individual returns or not to criminal justice system following rehab. The signs and indicators seem quite positive, and criminal justice clients who take part in rehabilitation have a much better chance of remaining out of the system following rehab.