Estimates are anywhere from 13% of people who are incarcerated and need treatment and actually get it. On average anywhere from 65-80% of people who are incarcerated either were using or had a drug problem or their arrest was somehow related to drugs. So probably about half of the people incarcerated need serious treatment. I think the thing you run into is this attitude out their that they don’t deserve it. That they should be locked up and that’s it.

Only about one in four people in this country who need treatment actually get it. Providing money on the inside then, there is a push back because there are lots of people on the outside that need treatment and aren’t getting it.

It’s really interesting. I think there is this perception, particularly around the federal program, that there are services but in actuality, it is a very small percentage. I think it really depends on the state, who is running the system. I know there are states that do a very good job of treatment and other states that don’t do any treatment. I would like to think all states have some sort of treatment available but I know some don’t. We have people who tell us they can’t get treatment.

One of the underlying beliefs of the Legal Action Center is that policies that are instituted, laws that are enacted that affect these people should recognize addiction as a disease. You can’t lock somebody up for being sick. We really advocate for alternatives to incarceration, diversion programs, that kind of stuff. We all recognize there are some very violent people out there who need to be incarcerated for a time, but they need access to services so that when they are released they are rehabilitated. But when possible, people should be diverted from the system and treated in the community. When they are released, they should not be continued to be discriminated against. They should have access to financial aid, access to a job, and access to public benefits. Just having a drug felony conviction should not penalize people for their entire lifetime- mothers with children, in some states, not allowed to get cash assistance for their children and food stamps.