Every country on planet Earth operates at least some capacity of jail or prison as a means of punishing people who committed crimes in them. Although the United States could stand to treat people found guilty of certain non-violent crimes such as drug offenses differently, virtually everybody would agree that maintaining our current system of dealing with various crimes is far better than getting rid of it entirely. After getting out of jail or prison, some people are required to be committed to what are known as halfway houses, or residences in which residents must adhere to strict rules as a means of reintegrating them back into the “real world.” Check out these interesting facts about halfway houses.
• Precursors of Modern Halfway Houses Date Back Nearly 200 Years
The Salvation Army and the YMCA were two of many religious organizations that attempted to rehabilitate people suffering from substance abuse issues as early as the 1830s. Although the ways in which these organizations treated people who were affected by these issues are long outdated, the inklings of the first ideas for halfway houses are carried on in modern halfway houses across the United States.
• 12-Step Programs Didn’t Surface Until Nearly 100 Years Later
Most people are familiar with Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and other 12-step programs – at the very least, they’ve heard the names before. Although 12-step programs are the backbone of many modern halfway houses across the United States, they were not constructed and organized until shortly after the end of World War II.
• Some Residents Choose to Stay for However Long They Want
Although living in a halfway house doesn’t sound like fun to just about everybody on the face of planet Earth, some people who have recently been released from prison choose to stay in halfway houses for longer than they are legally required to as a means of – hopefully, that is – increasing their chances of success in the free world. Looking for transitional housing Frederick md should start with a halfway house. They are a great place to get people’s lives back on track.