Criminal justice client rehabs can be considered being a significantly better option than prison time or significant fines for individuals who have already been convicted of any sort of drug or alcohol related crime. By way of example, a person who has been in prison for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol may be eligible for rehab services because of their problem rather than serving time in jail. The judge could even order the individual receive rehab, either alone or along with other sentencing. First time offenders in particular are often given the ability to choose a criminal justice client rehab instead of other sentencing, and it is well-advised that they make the most of it when it is a possibility. The theory behind criminal justice client rehabs is that it is much more efficient and effective to invest time and effort into treatment than punishment. Much research has been done to observe how effective this method is on recidivism rates, i.e. if the criminal justice client returns or not to criminal justice system following treatment. The signs and indicators appear to be quite positive, and criminal justice clients who take part in rehabilitation have a better probability of remaining out of the judicial system following treatment.