I work with individuals seeking treatment for addiction every day, whether by self-referral or court order, and I have personally seen the harm that is done to people when they are trying to get better. Despite this desire to get well, their history of involvement in the justice system, as well as the societal stigma present even in the very facilities they reach out to, have become a barrier for them in achieving recovery. Individuals with substance use disorders need to receive evidence-based treatment instead of being sent to jail or prison because addiction is a disease that requires treatment of one’s mind, body, and spirit, and incarceration causes more harm than good.

Some argue addiction is not a disease, but a choice. According to one neurobiological review, the disease of addiction is often present years before the first substance is ever ingested. Individuals who experience childhood traumatic events such as emotional, physical, and/or sexual abuse, as well as experiences of poverty, having a parent who is incarcerated, homelessness, bullying, or any other chronically stressful situation, have a much higher risk of developing an addiction to substances later in life.