Criminal justice client rehabs can be considered like a far better option than time in jail or significant fines for individuals who have already been convicted of any type of drug or alcohol related crime. By way of example, someone who has been found guilty of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs may qualify to obtain rehabilitation services because of their problem as an alternative to serving time in prison. The judge could even order the individual receive treatment, either alone or along with other sentencing. First-time offenders in particular are often given the opportunity choose a criminal justice client rehab as an alternative to other sentencing, and it is well-advised they take advantage of it when it is an option. The theory behind criminal justice client rehabs is that it is far more efficient and effective to invest time and energy into rehab than punishment. Much research has been carried out 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 rehab. All indicators appear to be quite positive, and criminal justice clients that do take part in rehab have a much better possibility of remaining out of the judicial system following rehabilitation.