Criminal justice client rehabs are available being a considerably better option than time in jail or heavy fines for many who have been convicted of any kind of alcohol or drug related crime. For example, a person who has been in prison for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs may be eligible for rehabilitation services for their problem as an alternative to serving time in jail. The judge might order that the individual receive rehabilitation, either alone or in addition to other sentencing. First time offenders in particular tend to be given the opportunity to choose a criminal justice client rehab as opposed to other sentencing, and it is well-advised they reap the benefits of it if it's an alternative. The theory behind criminal justice client rehabs is that it is way more effective and efficient to invest effort and time into treatment than punishment. Much research has been carried out to discover how effective this process is on recidivism rates, i.e. if the criminal justice client returns or not to criminal justice system following treatment. All indicators appear to be quite positive, and criminal justice clients that experience treatment have a much better chance of remaining out of the system after treatment.