Alex Mikel

English 1201.227

Vicki Stalbird

02/05/2019

Research Proposal

I want to research effective ways of combatting drug addiction. I want to persuade my

readers that treatment is the best path to recovery, not being jailed or imprisoned. I first became

interested in this subject around the age of twenty. At this point in my life I was faced with the

choice of going to treatment or to be sent to jail/prison. I often question what is the best route to

recovery for an individual drowning in the abyss of addiction? I’ve spoken with family, friends,

coworkers, and peers about how they view the subject themselves. There is a lot of indefinite

answers that float through the air.

Another reason I have chosen to choose this topic for research is comments I see on

social media. There are a lot of people that very bluntly state, “addicts are a waste of life and

space, why not just toss them all behind bars.” Seeing these kinds of comments made about

fellow citizens of “OUR” country bewilder me. Should we cast away any hope for our fellow

Americans based on a belief they are beyond saving. To me the sense of community has slowly

dwindled away the more that time passes on.

I want to encourage hope to be returned to the one’s previously thought to be, “to far

gone.” Addiction has cast a shadow on my own life, and I want to take every action possible to

help others find a better way of life. In the past I tried to stop using drugs through many different

means: treatment centers, twelve-step programs, religion, incarceration, and “controlling my

use,” or substituting one drug for another. Ultimately the only way that seems to be proving itself
in my life is treatment and twelve-step programs. I know that I have seen many people

incarcerated for crimes correlated to addiction, in response to the release of said individuals is

relapse. I know that the conversations that take place inside of inmate facilities are a spawning

ground for criminal attitudes and beliefs. I believe that incarceration is a temporary to an ongoing

condition. That condition when left untreated will revert back to its most primal form. Addiction

is like any other disease when medication (treatment/meetings) is taken we are given a daily

reprieve. When that medication is removed the disease reverts back to its harmful state.

There is still much research to be done on this subject. I’ve got a good basis for a place to

start, yet still have questions that need answered. I am hoping to learn more about recidivism

rates of incarceration among drug addicts. As well as relapse rates of those who attend treatment

and follow up with twelve-step programs. I believe I can find some good information through

academic journals online. I also hope to learn more about why incarceration does not always

keep the individual off of drugs. There are many angles at which I plan to approach this research,

these are just a few.