Cocaine and heroin abusers represent a significant portion of arrestees and those in jails and prisons in New York City and other jurisdictions. Even so, criminal justice agencies have developed few strategies for routinely detecting and intervening in the drug use of arrested cocaine and heroin abusers. Moreover, most cocaine and heroin abusers are released within 3 months after arrest. Little evidence is available to indicate that criminal justice sanctions are as effective as drug treatment in reducing drug use and the criminality of cocaine and heroin abusers. Drug abusers in criminal justice custody tend to avoid referral to drug treatment unless faced with a long incarceration. Further, drug treatment costs are much lower than incarceration costs and are substantially offset by decreased costs of crime committed by cocaine and heroin abusers while in treatment. Policy implications of cocaine and heroin abuse are briefly discussed. Criminal justice system options are identified, including urinalysis, effective and well-funded drug and alcohol treatment programs, and intermittent sentences for drug-abusing offenders. New alternatives to incarceration are listed, and the need to relocate fiscal and personnel resources to support mandatory treatment and routine monitoring of convicted cocaine and heroin abusers is emphasized.