Criminal justice client rehabs are available as a far better option than jail time or heavy fines for those who have already been convicted of any type of drug or alcohol related crime. For instance, somebody who has been in prison for dui of drugs or alcohol may be eligible for treatment services for their problem rather than 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 specifically tend to be given the chance to pick a criminal justice client rehab as an alternative to other sentencing, and it is well-advised they take advantage of it if it's a choice. The theory behind criminal justice client rehabs is that it is much more effective and efficient to invest commitment into rehabilitation than punishment. Much research has been carried out to discover how effective this approach is on recidivism rates, i.e. if the individual returns or not to criminal justice system following rehabilitation. All indicators seem to be quite positive, and criminal justice clients who do take part in treatment have better chance of remaining out of the judicial system following rehabilitation.