Criminal justice client rehabs can be considered being a significantly better option than time in jail or significant fines for those who have already been convicted of any sort of drug or alcohol related crime. By way of example, somebody who has been found guilty of dui of drugs or alcohol may qualify to receive rehab services for their problem instead of serving time in prison. The judge might order that the individual receive rehab, either alone or together with other consequences. First time offenders in particular will often be given the ability to select 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 alternative. The theory behind criminal justice client rehabs is that it is much more effective and efficient to invest commitment into treatment than punishment. Much research has been completed to see how effective this approach is on recidivism rates, i.e. if the criminal justice client returns or not to criminal justice system following treatment. All indicators seem quite positive, and criminal justice clients who do experience rehab have a better potential for remaining out of the system after rehabilitation.