The Tender Topic of Relapse in Community Corrections

Key takeaways:

• Relapse doesn’t mean failure—in many recovery journeys, it’s part of the process and can be an opportunity for meaningful intervention.
• Second chances work best when grounded in principle, not just emotion, balancing compassion with structure and community safety.
• Real change takes consistency, support, and the willingness to see potential beyond the mistake, not just enforce a rulebook.

While doing Motivational Interviewing training with community corrections staff, we began discussing the stages of change and specifically the topic of relapse. The stage of relapse brought up an interesting discussion with the group about which clients should get second chances.  

John: “I can see giving the direct sentence clients a second chance but I don’t think the clients coming from prison should get any chances, if they relapse, they are gone.  They should be grateful they even got a chance to get out of prison.”

Lisa: “What do other people think about that?”

Susie: “I think that this is a treatment program and we need to provide the client with treatment, terminating them isn’t going to do anything.”

Josie: “It depends on the client, does he want help?”

Jim: “A lot of times these clients who relapse act like they want help around admin and case management staff but we hear what they really say.  They know they can get away with using and just ask for help.”

The conversation went back and forth with valid points in each direction.

I remember twelve years ago as a case manager that if a client used, they were generally terminated and sent to prison.  Years later, we started to give clients a second chance more often as we learned about treatment options and outcomes.  I remember a specific time where I was advocating so strongly for my client after he had his second positive UA for methamphetamine.

Lisa: “Yes, this is his second positive for methamphetamine but he really wants help.  He has a ton of strengths, a great job, positive support system and a great attitude.  He made a bad choice and an in-patient treatment program can help him with his addiction.”

Joe: “He had his chance and he blew it.  He obviously doesn’t care or he wouldn’t have used again.”

Kenny: “He needs to go to prison, what message would that send the rest of the clients if we keep him?  They will all just go out and use if they know they can get second and third chances.”

The team outvoted me unanimously and I left the meeting and took a walk to cool down, infuriated.

Relapse is Part of the Recovery

I know from my experience with some amazing therapeutic professionals, they say “relapse is part of recovery”.  The point is - if a client is going to use, isn’t it better they do it while under supervision where they have support?  We are able to catch it and address it quicker and usually before they’ve gone into a full binge relapse (like they might if they were on their own).  Some clients may need several therapeutic responses before being able to make that change. You just never know when things might finally ‘stick’.

If our goal is to make the community safer, and eventually that individual will be back in the community, then shouldn’t we do everything we can to lower this person’s risk?  Sending them back to prison may be a meaningful consequence but many make the same choices when they get out.  Only the next time, they may not be under residential supervision, or a supervision program with the needed treatment options; and they may simply return to the way they know best…. committing a new crime to support their habit and start the whole cycle over.

As criminal justice professionals, it is our job to protect the community while helping our clients be the best that they can be in it. Giving people a second chance is an important life skill, one that translates into many other prosocial parts of our social world.

Frequently Asked Questions About

Relapse in Community Corrections

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Purpose can ignite great work, but without clear principles, even well-meaning efforts can lose direction. Below are some common questions from correctional professionals trying to strike the right balance between passion and structure.

What does it mean to be “principle-centered” in community corrections?

Being principle-centered means grounding your agency’s decisions and daily operations in a clear, consistent set of values supported by research and experience. It’s not just about having good intentions or strong beliefs—it’s about aligning your work with what actually produces better outcomes. This approach helps avoid chaos caused by reactive decision-making and brings long-term clarity to your mission.

Why isn’t passion alone enough to drive effective programs?

Passion is essential, but without structure, it can easily lead to burnout, mission drift, or inconsistent practices. The human service field is full of talented people who care deeply, but those feelings need a delivery system. When emotion outpaces evidence, programs can spiral into dysfunction even with the best intentions behind them.

How do principles differ from values or goals?

Principles are not the same as values or goals—they are the rules you commit to follow while pursuing your goals and values. Goals can shift, values can inspire, but principles provide the boundaries that guide behavior and decision-making under pressure. In community corrections, they help ensure that actions remain consistent, even when staff are stretched thin or emotions run high.

Can each program set its own principles?

Individual programs may define their mission differently, but they shouldn’t invent principles in isolation. Years of research in the corrections field have already developed a solid foundation of evidence-based principles. Programs should draw from this body of work to shape practices that are flexible but not untethered.

How do we bring principles into our day-to-day work?

It starts with leadership. Principles need to be built into policies, reinforced in staff development, and reflected in how decisions are made. When principles are clear and modeled consistently, they become the cultural guardrails that keep teams focused, even when the road gets difficult.

A Happy Ending...

In the case of my client who was to be terminated, I had a stroke of luck.  The supervisor at the time decided to give my idea a shot despite the opposition.  My client was grateful and attended a two week, inpatient substance abuse program.  He went on to successfully complete the residential program and successfully discharge his sentence in the Non-Residential program.  About a year later he sent a postcard from Alaska, saying he was doing great and thanked me.  “Lisa, thanks for believing in me, I am clean and living my dream in Alaska with my wife who is also clean.  I will never forget the chance you gave me.” 

That is why I do this!  I’d love to say I am always right…. as I was in that case.  I won’t bore you with the details of all the times I was wrong ….

So what is the right answer?  How do you make these difficult decisions?  Is there a one size fits all standard for how many relapses?  What factors need to be considered?  There are so many variables to consider when making these decisions.  Let’s talk about relapse strategies, share your thoughts and opinions here in my blog.  I would love to hear what you think.

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