Yes, people can do alcohol rehab in jail. At the time of their crimes, 31% of state convicts and 25% of federal inmates said they had consumed alcohol.
However, the quality and availability of alcohol rehab programs in jails vary widely. Some jails offer comprehensive programs that include detox, counseling, and aftercare services. Others offer only limited services, such as group therapy or educational classes.
Getting any help or care for their illness is a good choice. You must stop drinking and get better on your own. Let’s talk about alcohol rehab in jail and answer some questions that come up often.
How to Get Alcohol Rehab in Jail
Depending on many things, like whether or not there are programs, how bad your addiction is, and whether or not the jail staff is ready to help, your rehabilitation programs in US prisons will be determined.
But there are some things you can do to make it more likely that you will get the help you need while in jail.
Here are some tips on how to drug rehabilitation in prison:
Figure Out What You Need
The first step is to look at your situation honestly and determine how much help you need. You’ll need medical rehab if your body is so dependent on alcohol.
Find out if you have more than one mental health problem that needs to be dealt with and if there’s a background of abuse or trauma that may have caused your addiction. Knowing your needs will help you get jail-based treatment programs.
Talk to the Jail Staff
The next step is to talk to the jail staff. Tell them you want to get alcohol rehab in jail. Be polite and helpful, and make sure your position and needs are clear. Depending on the rules and practices of the jail, you may need to talk to a counselor, a nurse, a case manager, or a chaplain.
One of my colleague has an uncle who has experience of rehab in jail. I heard that jail authority used some screening tools and tests to determine if he could join a program or get a recommendation, this is one of today’s trends.
Use The Available Resources
Depending on the jail, people who want alcohol rehab may have access to different resources. Some of these are:
- Self-help groups, like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA), offer peer support and recovery ideals.
- Classes or workshops teach people about the effects of drinking, how to deal with problems, how to avoid relapse, and other things related to addiction and recovery.
- Counseling or therapy sessions that use cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), motivational interviewing (MI), or other evidence-based methods to address the reasons and effects of addiction.
- Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is when drugs like naltrexone or acamprosate are used to reduce cravings and withdrawal effects.
- Inpatient or outpatient programs give inmates eligible for release or transfer to a prison that offers such services more intensive and thorough treatment.
Make a plan for when you get out of jail
Getting alcohol rehab in jail is not enough; you must also plan for your return to society and how to stay sober. This means planning what to do after the prisoner gets out.
- Finding a place to live helps your healing and keeps you from being exposed to triggers or temptations.
- Keep your treatment going by attending support groups, aftercare programs, or follow-up visits.
- Rebuilding your social network by connecting with family and friends who support your recovery or making new friends who share your goals and values.
- Getting ahead in your education or work by taking classes, applying for jobs, or doing community service.
- Doing healthy things that make you happy, fill you up, and give you a purpose, like hobbies, sports, or faith.
Work With Your Public Lawyer
Finally, you may want to work with your public lawyer to see if they can help you get alcohol rehab in jail or lower your sentence. This choice, though, may not be the best one for you, depending on the type and seriousness of your crime, your criminal record, and the availability of other options.
It’s not easy to get alcohol rehab in jail, but you can do it if you take the initiative and use the tools you have.
Types of Jail Alcohol Rehab Programs
There are alcohol rehab programs in jail that can help you get over your problem and get ready for a sober life when you get out.
Here are some types of jail alcohol rehab programs:
A Combination Of Behavioral Treatments
Some of these are cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT), motivational interviewing (MI), and contingency management (CM). These treatments help you figure out and change the ideas, feelings, and actions leading to excessive drinking.
Prescription Drugs
These include medicines that can help you stop wanting to drink, ease your detox symptoms, or stop alcohol from having an effect. Most of the time, a doctor prescribes these medicines and ensures they are taken correctly in rehabilitation programs in US prisons.
All-in-one Services
These include services that help with things other than alcoholism, like mental health, physical health, living, getting a job, going to school, and getting social support. These can help you get to the bottom of your addiction, improve your general health, and keep you from reusing again.
Education And Plans For The Future
Some programs teach you about how alcohol affects your body, brain, and behavior, as well as the risks and results of continuing to drink. This plan lists your triggers, ways to deal with them, and support tools you can use if you slip up or get a craving.
Before you sign up for these jail-based treatment programs, you should talk to your lawyer or case manager about whether they are available and what you need to do to join.
The Prevalence of Alcohol Addiction in Jails
The Bureau of Justice Statistics says that 31% of state prisoners and 25% of federal inmates said they had been drinking at the time of the crime.
Also, one in six male inmates and one in ten female inmates have an alcohol use problem, which means they meet the criteria for alcohol dependence or abuse. This is much more than the overall rate of alcohol use problems, which is 8.7% for men and 4.6% for women.
There are many reasons why drinking too much is linked to bad behavior. Here are some of the most common:
- Alcohol makes it hard to make good decisions and control your impulses, which can lead to angry or dangerous behavior.
- Alcohol makes people more hostile, angry, and aggressive, leading to fights or attacks.
- Drinking lowers inhibitions, which can lead to sexual crimes or driving while drunk.
- Alcohol can make people addicted, steal, lie, or do drugs to get more alcohol.
Given how common alcoholism is in jails and how bad it is for people who are addicted to it, it is essential to help people who have this problem.
But care for alcoholism in jails is often imperfect, hard to get, or nonexistent. Prisoners need a whole treatment plan based on evidence, including medication, psychotherapy, and assistance for aftercare.
The Limitations of Jail-Based Alcohol Rehab Programs
Some jails have drug rehabilitation in prison, but they are often not good enough to help addicts get clean and keep them from going back to drinking.
Here are some of the problems with programs that help people get sober in jail:
AA Groups And Counseling Are Available
Some jails offer Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings and counseling, but it’s usually up to the inmates to go to them, and they don’t always happen. These meetings and counseling may not address the root reasons for addiction, such as trauma, mental health problems, or having multiple disorders simultaneously.
Shorter Time
Most people who go to jail for alcohol-related crimes serve short terms of a few days to a few months. Drug rehabilitation in prison makes it harder for them to change. Research shows successful alcohol rehab programs require at least 90 days of treatment and longer for people with severe addictions or other disorders.
Safety Concerns Slow Down Growth
Jails are not good places to improve because they are often overcrowded, violent, and stressful. Also, jails may not have enough security measures to stop people from sneaking in drinks or drugs, making it harder for people trying to quit to do so.
Absence of MAT
Some inmates with alcoholism may benefit from medication-assisted treatment (MAT), which uses drugs like naltrexone, acamprosate, or disulfiram to lessen cravings, withdrawal symptoms, or the effects of alcohol. But most jails don’t give MAT or have strict rules about who can get it, which can make it more likely that they will start using again or overdose.
To sum up, jail is not a standard or easy place for people addicted to alcohol to go to rehab. But some programs and tools can help them deal with their problem and get ready for a life of sobriety when they get out. Remember that you can get better, even if you are in jail. Know if you can be fired for checking into rehab.
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