Criminal justice client rehabs can be considered as a far better option than time in jail or significant fines for those who have already been convicted of any kind of alcohol or drug related crime. As an example, someone who has been found guilty of driving while impaired of alcohol or drugs may be eligible to obtain rehabilitation services for their problem instead of serving time in jail. The judge might order that the individual receive treatment, either alone or along with other sentencing. First-time offenders in particular in many cases are given the opportunity choose a criminal justice client rehab as an alternative to other sentencing, and it is well-advised that they take advantage of it if it's an option. The theory behind criminal justice client rehabs is that it is way more efficient and effective to invest time and energy into rehab than punishment. Much research has been completed to observe how effective this approach 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 that do take part in rehabilitation have a better probability of remaining out of the judicial system after rehab.