Criminal justice client rehabs can be considered being a far better option than jail time or significant fines for many who have already been convicted of any type of alcohol or drug related crime. For instance, a person who has been found guilty of driving drunk of alcohol or drugs may be eligible to get rehab services for problem instead of serving time in prison. The judge might order the individual receive treatment, either alone or in addition to other sentencing. First time offenders in particular are often given the opportunity to pick a criminal justice client rehab rather than other sentencing, and it is highly recommended they make the most of it if it's a possibility. The theory behind criminal justice client rehabs is it is much more efficient and effective to invest commitment into treatment than punishment. Much research has been carried out to see how effective this approach is on recidivism rates, i.e. if the individual returns or not to criminal justice system following rehabilitation. The signs and indicators seem to be quite positive, and criminal justice clients that take part in rehab have a better potential for remaining out of the system following treatment.