Rethink Criminal Justice and Recovery

By Ginny Burton

After nearly 30 years of active drug use, the criminal justice system became the intervention that saved my life. When felony charges finally pulled me off the streets, it wasn’t punishment that made the difference—it was the pause. Incarceration removed me from homelessness, stopped the criminal behavior that fed my addiction, and gave me something I hadn’t had in decades: clarity and space to think.

This timeout was crucial. It gave me a running chance at abstinence, allowed me to ponder my choices, and ultimately opened doors I thought were closed forever—drug court, family reunification, and a real shot at success. I had to work out much of my recovery on my own, but that’s life. It isn’t the system’s job to do things for us; it’s up to us to use available resources intentionally and learn to help ourselves. That’s what a timeout is for: time to think, to pull ourselves together.

Coming from a background of drug use and crime with my mother, I was unskilled in many life domains and didn’t have the knowledge to figure it all out alone, so I sought support. This is where our institutions must step up. All institutions that serve people—including our criminal justice system—should be equipped with the necessary components to enable success, not further destruction.

Currently, we’re falling short. We need structured programs that teach practical life skills—employment readiness, financial literacy, and healthy relationship building. We need consistent access to abstinence-based treatment programs, mental health services, and peer support networks within facilities and continuing after release. We need educational and vocational training that provides real pathways to employment.

Most importantly, we must shift our perspective. People like me aren’t victims—we’ve made choices, and though we aren’t happy with those choices, we must learn to make new ones. Growth requires discomfort; it demands moving out of comfort zones. The system’s role is creating environments where that transformation is possible, where accountability meets opportunity. When intervention includes both structure and support, people can seize their second chance and build lives worth living.