By Aaron Fox, M.D., M.S.

Finally, Democrats and Republicans have agreed that reducing prison sentences should be a priority, especially for nonviolent drug offenses. It’s common sense that people with substance-use disorders should be offered addiction treatment as an alternative to incarceration. But what if they can’t stop using drugs? They still don’t belong in prison.

Incarceration Undermines Recovery
Incarceration is destabilizing and can set people back in their addiction recovery. In low-income communities, it leads to housing instability and unemployment, and strains the relationships with families necessary for recovery. Incarceration may also disrupt addiction treatment, which is like suspending a kid from school for truancy, thereby guaranteeing that child won’t get the att…