Do Rehabs Increase Local Crime Rates?
There has been plenty of scrutiny surrounding sober living or “rehab houses”. As politicians speak on the subject, a few talking points emerge. There is a phrase that is familiar: The rehab centers are increasing crime in the area. Do you believe this to be true or do you simply feel this way? Let us take a look at the actual crime statistics that nobody has bothered to break down and analyze.
There is a claim that rehab facilities actively recruit people from outside of town. Those living in residential neighborhoods complain of problems caused by these facilities. Property values are falling as a result. Infractions of zoning laws abound. Lastly, crime is on the rise due to these transition homes.
Having painstakingly reviewed every single arrest since Jan. 1, 2022, we have the real statistics. What percentage of the people arrested were out of towners? A) 15% B) 22% C) 31%
In actuality, the correct answer is nine percent. On closer inspection, about half of them seem to be drug traffickers who have been caught transporting drugs across the county. As a result, the real figure is less than 5%. The claim that rehabs increase crime is a myth.
Several things have been cited as proof of the false claims, including the increase in arrests, the jail population, and the planned women’s jail that will be opening soon. There is a simple explanation for this. Our jail now takes inmates from nearby counties, primarily Pike County. Our county was told that 50 beds would be revenue-generating when the jail was built by taking inmates from other counties. However, this did not happen. The new sheriff’s administration has now kept those promises. Further, he was awarded a grant for over a million dollars for the dedicated women’s facility. Having a regional jail is beneficial to the county. It generates more jobs and more revenue.
Sober living homes present several challenges for residents and the community as a whole. The biggest problem is the level of care provided. They are usually based on the college off-campus living business model. It is more of a dormitory or holding tank of sorts, and the services are contracted with other local treatment centers.
Indeed, they actively recruit residents from other towns. It is one of the cornerstones of the recovery process to remove the addict from their sphere of influence.
Community residents are affected by the abundance of sobriety houses. It’s also not helpful when Kentucky rehabs drop off patients at Kroger. Let’s turn our attention to the real issues: quality of care, living conditions, zoning, and neighborhood impact.