Criminal justice client rehabs can be considered like a significantly better option than prison time or significant fines for those who have already been convicted of any kind of alcohol or drug related crime. For example, anyone who has been in prison for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol may be eligible for rehab services because of their problem as opposed to serving time in jail. The judge might even order the individual receive rehabilitation, either alone or together with other sentencing. Very first time offenders in particular are often given the chance to go with a criminal justice client rehab rather than other sentencing, and it is well-advised they make the most of it if it's a possibility. The theory behind criminal justice client rehabs is it is far more efficient and effective to invest effort and time into treatment than punishment. Much research has been done to see how effective this strategy is on recidivism rates, i.e. if the criminal justice client returns or not to criminal justice system following rehabilitation. The signs and indicators seem quite positive, and criminal justice clients who experience rehab have a much better probability of remaining out of the judicial system after rehabilitation.