Blog # 13 Is it better to put drug addicts in jail or to send them to mandatory drug treatment programs?

I think that it is important to send drug addicts into mandatory drug treatment programs. It is important for drug addicts to get the treatment they need otherwise they may be more prone to repeating these behaviors instead of trying to help themselves combat there drug addictions. I am not saying that drug addicts should avoid jail time but I am saying that drug addicts need to receive treatment either while in jail or prior to going to jail. I do think that drug addicts should still go to jail for breaking the law because if we gave them only mandatory drug treatments programs to attend then they would be avoiding the true reason for why they were put in jail in the first place. Laws are the laws and I believe in that if you break the laws then you should suffer the consequences otherwise we would have mass kayos in the world. Again, laws still need to be enforced but I also think that promoting treatment will reduce the amount of drug addicts and help keep them away from these behaviors. It is very unfortunate that people feel the need to partake in drugs as means to help cope and deal with life’s obstacles but everyone is entitled to receive help and I think that treatment will help those who may not help themselves. By sending drug addicts to jail as a form of punishment without providing help will only sends these drug addicted people back out into the world with a high  probability that they will pick back up this habit when they get out. I think that it is very important to help those who are unwilling to help themselves. For all we know drug addicts may want to receive help they just either don’t have the money to receive help, the transportation, or the courage to get help for themselves. Whether or not drug addicts want help or do not want help I think that it is our duty as a society to reduce the amount of people becoming addicted to drugs and getting them off the streets and giving them the help that they need first, then the punishment can follow. I bet if drug addicts sobered up and got the treatment they needed then they would think twice before engaging in those behaviors that got them sent to jail in the first place.

-Brittany LeBron