The question of whether someone belongs in treatment or in prison is one of the most important and least resolved debates in American criminal justice. For many people charged with drug offenses or crimes driven by addiction, the criminal justice system is the first point of contact for a health problem that would be better addressed in a treatment setting. This section covers what diversion programs exist that can route someone toward treatment rather than incarceration, how drug courts work and who qualifies, what the difference is between a treatment sentence and a traditional incarceration sentence, how RDAP inside prison serves as a treatment alternative for federal inmates with substance abuse histories, and what families can do to advocate for a treatment-based approach when facing charges where addiction is a factor. The guidance here is practical and acknowledges the real tension between accountability and effective intervention. See also our sections on RDAP, Sentence Reduction, and Re-entry and Rehabilitation.