Explain+how+going+to+jail+is+the+best+form+of+therapy?

==**Wiki: The drugs don’t work; they just make it worse:** **Research and discuss the incidence and prevalence of illicit drug-use in Australia, and the complex relationships between addiction, treatment, and criminality.**==

====The chosen artefact for this wiki is an internet “//meme//” that ridicules the current form of therapy for the majority of drug users within Australia. “//Meme//” is a word used “//as an attempt to explain the way cultural information spreads//” (Dawkins, 1989). Internet memes have become cultural icons and have manifested themselves into virtual artefacts (Yagou, 2005, p. 50-60). The “//Willy Wonka meme//” has become an icon for sharing the criticisms on the nuances of modern society and is labelled “C//ondescending Wonka//” (Yagou, 2005, p. 50-60). Argues that memes are “//an idea, behaviour or style that spreads from person to person within a culture//” (Hornblower, Spawforth, & Eidinow, 2012) making them the current generations most influential and easily accessible propaganda. The main focus of this particular meme is on the individual’s health and whether sending them to incarceration is going to help this or worsen the situation.====

**Name the public health issue central to your analysis:**
====The topic being discussed is the complex relationship between addiction, treatment and criminality which delves deeper into the understanding of illicit drug offence sentencing. The artefact represents the idea of //“Prison vs. treatment//” and outlines the general consensus of resolution for those engaging in drug use who are caught and trialled by the Australian legal system. The angle being focused on is whether prison is the correct punishment for those caught with illegal narcotics for both illicit drug supply, use and whether alternative treatments would be a more effective form of therapy to help alleviate and prevent these issues from reoccurring and protect both the population’s health and the individual’s persecuted.====

**Literature Review:**
====The Australian national institute of drug abuse has come to the opinion that “//the imprisonment of drug-abusing offenders is an expensive and ineffective method of punishment”// (National institute on drug abuse, 2006) as offenders are more likely to become repeat offenders rather than participate in some form of rehabilitation. Within incarceration offenders are encouraged or legally obliged to participate in treatment services, however fewer than 20% of inmates with drug problems received drug education, counselling or guidance according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2013). This becomes a serious issue as “//Untreated substance abusing offenders are more likely to relapse to drug abuse and return to criminal behaviour//” (National institute on drug abuse, 2006) which then results in a repetitive cycle of re-incarceration and inefficient drug rehabilitation programs; ultimately “//jeopardizing public health and public safety and taxing criminal justice system resources”// (National institute on drug abuse, 2006). The national treatment improvement evaluation program (2010) indicated that “//treatment can cut drug abuse in half, reduce criminal activity up to 80 percent, and reduce arrests up to 64 percent//” and that outside drug rehabilitation systems offered the best alternatives for “interrupting the drug abuse/criminal justice cycle for offenders with drug abuse problems” (National institute on drug abuse, 2006).====

====Drug abuse and addiction needs to be perceived and viewed as a complex illness or disease and not a crime “//addiction is a brain disease that affects multiple brain circuits, including those involved in reward and motivation, learning, memory, and inhibitory control over behaviour//” (Jürgens, Ball, & Verster, 2009, p. 57-66). Once this illness has started an uncontrollable craving begins (National institute on drug abuse, 2006) and a prison based establishment isn’t the correct form of rehabilitation for an illness such as this; especially when “//about one in five of the prison population”// (Jürgens, Ball, & Verster, 2009, p. 57-66) are still using drugs on a regular basis. “//While the path to drug addiction begins with the voluntary act of taking drugs, over time a person's ability to choose not to do so becomes compromised, and seeking and consuming the drug becomes compulsive//” (National institute on drug abuse, 2006) and in order to stop this compulsive instinct “//effective treatment programs help the individual stop using drugs and maintain a drug-free lifestyle//” which isn’t possible within a penitentiary system that is plagued with drug use and availability. The prevalence of illicit drugs and their availability within prison systems makes this a very important topic as the cycle of drug abuse cannot be broken if the offenders aren’t given effective treatment programs or a location that doesn’t already contain illicit drugs. “//Effective treatment programs typically incorporate many components, each directed to a particular aspect of the illness and its consequences//” (National institute on drug abuse, 2006) as addiction is a chronic disease and “//people cannot simply stop using drugs for a few days and be cured//” (National institute on drug abuse, 2006).====

====It’s clear that researchers have established prison isn’t the correct method for drug crime rehabilitation, “//many prisoners who used drugs before prison continue to do so during their imprisonment; although prevalence and frequency declines, while some might stop using drugs altogether, others might start”// (Leukefeld et al., 2009, p. 24-30). Currently most rehabilitation programs are conducted within prison establishments; the programs themselves are efficient and appropriate, the location however isn’t as offenders still have access to drugs (Office of the Australian information commissioner). With one of the most commonly available illicit drugs within penitentiary systems being buprenorphine (Garland, 2001) (a prescription drug used to treat heroin addiction) the ability for small time offenders/users to become hooked on buprenorphine is extremely likely; furthering the development of addiction, mental health issues and reducing the chance for correct rehabilitation within the outside world whilst limiting the current drug rehabilitation methodologies even more. “//Untreated substance abusing offenders are more likely to relapse to drug abuse and return to criminal behaviour//” (National institute on drug abuse, 2006). The real risk is the exposure to individuals that are sent to prison who aren’t there for a drug offence but use buprenorphine because of its convenience (Office of the Australian information commissioner). Ultimately adding another victim to the illicit drug cycle of committing crimes to fuel their habit and being sent in and out of jail without any real rehabilitation system because of their exposure to illicit drugs within prison and //“jeopardizing public health and public safety and taxing criminal justice system resources//” (National institute on drug abuse, 2006).====

====Illicit drug crime sentencing is efficient but the punishment’s location needs to be changed from a prison to a drug rehabilitation centre with professionals who solely work with illicit drug users and are experts within rehabilitation. If this isn’t a possibility drug abuse treatment needs to be incorporated into the criminal justice system to view “//treatment as a condition of probation, as well as provide treatment in prison followed by community-based treatment after discharge, and treatment under parole or probation supervision”// (National institute on drug abuse, 2006). With the cooperation of the criminal justice system and treatment centres, resources can be optimized to //“benefit the health, safety, and well-being of individuals and the communities they serve”// (National institute on drug abuse, 2006).====



**Cultural and Social analysis:**
====Society and culture are crucial components of re-addressing the way illicit drug use crimes are viewed and perceived not only by the judicial system but by the general public. The issue of drug prevalence needs to be addressed as something that can easily affect anyone “//publicized images of actual victims serve as the personalized, real life, it could be you metonym for a problem of security that has become a defining feature of contemporary culture”// (Inciardi, 2004, p. 88-107). With a major emphasis on what and how these drugs effect society the culture around this issue will eventually change and become more accepting rather than frowned upon; as currently drug users aren’t given the support and help they need to combat their sickness. “//Contemporary criminology increasingly vies crime as a normal, routine, commonplace aspect of modern society, committed by individuals who are to all intents and purposes perfectly normal//” rather than delving deeper into the psyche of the individuals and realizing that illicit drug use has created an uncontrollable desire that needs proper rehabilitation and not simply another jail sentence with access to more drugs (Inciardi, 2004, p. 88-107).====

====The viewed consensus on drug rehabilitation and treatment is currently seen as any other crime, not perceived as a disease and treated the same as any other offence. Drug offences however need to be categorized and addressed with a much higher detail and precision than simple jail time penalties “The solution for crime lay in individualized correctional treatment, the support and supervisions of families and in welfare enhancing measures of social reform; particularly education and job creation” (Inciardi, 2004, p. 88-107). In changing society’s views and beliefs on drug rehabilitation not only will the culture of this disease be affected but the society within prisons will be affected as drug offenders will be taken from prison and placed within more appropriate drug rehabilitation centres. With this action the drugs available within prisons will be minimized as their users will be absent from the system whilst eventually breaking the cycle of users not being able to avoid these drugs in their day to day life and avoid the potential of other prisoners using drugs within prison and then adding to the demographic. A study by (Brady, 1995, p. 1487-1498) shows that “ with growing numbers of drug-involved offenders, substance abuse treatment has become a critical part of corrections”. The study followed 690 individuals through the program and aftercare and evaluated that “the implementation of such programs could bring about significant reductions in both drug use and drug-related crime//”//. This plan will affect all of those involved in both the justice system and the rehabilitation system, providing more efficient treatment and less chance of reoffending. The majority of society isn’t aware of the dangers associated with illicit drug use and must be made aware that the majority of crimes stem back to a drug relation. Not all people will be affected equally by this approach; the major impact will be on those who need it the most which are the repeat drug offenders who are committing other crimes to pay for their drug habit and cycling in and out of jail. Public health experts need to focus primarily on introducing treatment centres as the main solution for drug offenders and implementing follow-ups so that the leap back into society isn’t as harsh as it is currently.====

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**Analysis of the artefact and your own learning Reflections:**
====The artefact represents and portrays both what the majority of the judicial system believe drug addicts to be and how they’re treated, whilst making a mockery of how absurd this is. The meme is a good case in point, simply that it is a meme; which is easily distributed and viewed by thousands not solely within one subpopulation or destination but on a worldwide contingent. The artefact personally means a lot to me as I found it whilst doing research on the last assessment piece on this same subject and I agreed with it wholly. I believe the artefact is an excellent piece to convey a message to hundreds of thousands that normally would not care or think but may find this while scrolling through their Facebook page or surfing the internet and stop to think about its importance. Most of all I would like this artefact to raise this public’s knowledge of how we are treating illicit drug users on a global level and the ludicracy of their punishments which don’t support rehabilitation but aid their drug issues. This assessment piece has taught me how to create a wiki and has opened my eyes even more to this controversial topic by delving deeper into a context I once had a curiosity about but now has my full attention. The process of creating the wiki will help my future learning process as I slowly and meticulously constructed this assignment rather than rushing into it; which I believe resulted in a superior outcome.====

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https://healthcultureandsociety2013.wikispaces.com/%27Rape+Culture+or+Cultural+Rape%27
**References: **
 * 1) Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2013). //The health of Australia's prisoners 2012//. Canberra, ACT: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
 * 2) Brady, M. (1995). Culture in treatment, culture as treatment. A critical appraisal of developments in addictions programs for indigenous North Americans and Australians. //Social Science & Medicine//, //41//(11), 1487–1498.
 * 3) Dawkins, R. (1989). //The selfish gene//. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
 * 4) Garland, D. (2001). //The culture of control: Crime and social order in contemporary society//. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
 * 5) Hornblower, S., Spawforth, A., & Eidinow, E. (2012). //The Oxford classical dictionary//. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
 * 6) Inciardi, J. S. (2004). Five-Year Outcomes of Therapeutic Community Treatment of Drug-Involved Offenders after Release from Prison. //crime and delinquency//, //50//(1), 88-107. doi:10.1177/0011128703258874
 * 7) Jürgens, R., Ball, A., & Verster, A. (2009). Interventions to reduce HIV transmission related to injecting drug use in prison. //Thelancet.com/infection//, //9//, 57-66.
 * 8) Leukefeld, C., Oser, C., Havens, J., Staton Tindall, M., Mooney, J., Duvall, J., & Knudsen, H. (2009). Drug Abuse Treatment Beyond Prison Walls. //Addict Sci Clin Pract//, //5//(1), 24-30.
 * 9) National Institute on Drug Abuse (2010). //Drugs, brains, and behavior: The science of addiction//. Rockville, MD?: National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services.
 * 10) National institute on drug abuse (2006, July). //DrugFacts: Treatment for Drug Abusers in the Criminal Justice System | National Institute on Drug Abuse//. Retrieved from http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/treatment-drug-abusers-in-criminal-justice-system
 * 11) Office of the Austrralian information commissioner (n.d.). //The Freedom of Information Act - OAIC//. Retrieved from http://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-information/freedom-of-information-act/the-freedom-of-information-act
 * 12) Yagou, A. (2005). Rethinking Design History from an Evolutionary Perspective. //The Design Journal//, //8//(3), 50-60. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/10.2752/146069205789331556