Yes. The system is flawed. Yes prisons in the US are very scary. That being said, it was AHs trip to prison that scared me sober. He went to prison and I went to treatment. It was the lifers inside that scared him sober (for now at least. Only time will tell when he gets out)
I know that family members want to help their addicts avoid prison. The system is really awful! The thing about it is though... addicts only stop when the pain of using is greater than the pain of recovery. Sometimes, it can be that same terrible system that can make someone say "enough! "
When I checked into detox the counsellor asked me why I was there. I said, sick as I was, "I don't want to go to prison. If I don't stop using that's not an if... it's a when..." that was 1 1/2 years ago.
I'm sorry if I am rambling... I'm trying to offer a ray of hope. As terrible as the thought of the system setting up someone to go to prison is... Sometimes it's necessary. Sometimes it's the only way to show an addict that there are very real consequences for using.