“Individuals who use illicit drugs are more likely to commit crimes, and it is common for many offenses, including violent crimes, to be committed by individuals who had used drugs or alcohol prior to committing the crime, or who were using at the time of the offense,” according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), a government organization. NIDA says that drug abuse is implicated in at least three types of drug-related crimes:
- Drug possession and sales offenses;
- Offenses directly connected to drug abuse, such as stealing so they can sell the items and get money to purchase drugs; and
- A lifestyle that predisposes the drug user to engage in criminal behavior, such as associating with other drug offenders.
NIDA reports that in 2012, the correction population was about 6,937,600, with nearly 4,800,000 of individuals being on probation or under parole supervision. Of those, drug law violations were the most common type of criminal offense. But the issue wasn’t limited to adults. The juvenile justice system reported a lot of drug abuse offenses. In 2008, around 10 percent of the juvenile arrests made were for underage drinking or drug abuse violations, NIDA reported.
Qualifying Offenders Who Need Substance Abuse Treatment
It’s no secret that substance abuse problems plague jail and prison populations across the nation. As such, Texas has designed the Substance Abuse Treatment Program for offenders who qualify. There are two six-month in-prison treatment programs that are followed up with three months of residential aftercare. They also provide up to 12 months of support groups and supervision that is considered to be “follow up supervision.” Additionally, there is a nine-month in-facility substance abuse program that is tailored for inmates with mental health issues or who have other special medical needs.
The two six-month programs are as follows:
“The Pre-Release Substance Use Program (PRSUP) is a six-month program addressing substance use disorders and behavior based on the principals of a therapeutic Community. The program is intended for incarcerated offenders with substance use disorders and criminal ideology issues. Offenders are placed in the program based on a vote by the BPP,” according to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
The Department continues: “The Pre-Release Specialized Treatment Program (PRSTP) is a six-month addressing all substance use disorders. The program (formally Prelease Therapeutic Community – PRTC) no longer utilizes the Therapeutic Community format, instead follows the evidence-based practice modality of Solution-Focused Treatment. There is added emphasis given to address particular drugs of choice of the clients.”
Facing drug-related charges? Contact The Zendeh Del Law Firm, PLLC to explore your legal options and defenses!