DUII Programs: What To Expect If You Are Assigned To One
If you are caught driving while intoxicated or under the influence, you face more than just the loss of your license and/or jail time. Some states now require that each DUI offender be remanded to a DUII program. DUII programs are a new way to encourage those with drug and alcohol problems to seek help for underlying causes of driving while under the influence. If your state sponsors this recent new series of programs and you are remanded to one, here is what you can generally expect.
First Time Offenders and Reckless Drivers
In some states "first time offender" covers reckless drivers because it is reckless to get behind the wheel of a vehicle while high or intoxicated. In other states reckless intoxicated driving is separate from first time offenses and may be prosecuted as two separate but related offenses. If your state has DUII programs, it may offer a reckless offense program that puts you through twelve hours of counseling, detox, and drug and alcohol training.
If your state does not separate reckless driving from first time offenses while under the influence, the judge may use your BAC (blood alcohol level) to determine if you need the three-month, six-month, or nine-month DUII program. Each of these programs has an expected drug and alcohol training program of twelve hours (often the same one used for reckless driving in other states), detoxification, and several hours of group and individual cognitive behavioral therapy. These programs are often offered in lieu of jail time, especially in states where the jails are already over-crowded.
Repeat Offenders
Repeat offenders (i.e. those who have a second to fifth or sixth DUI) are required to report to a year-long or eighteen-month program. These programs tend to be more intensive and impose stricter regulations and penalties on those who do not comply. The idea is to try and rehabilitate the repeat offender and break him/her of the cycle that keeps putting him/her in the position of having to repeat a DUII educational program.
Multiple Offenders (A.K.A. "Lost Causes")
In the legal system where the DUII programs exist, a drop in repeat offenses is shown. However, that does not stop the few that may be doomed to repeat their mistakes dozens of times over. While some may label these multiple (i.e. eight times or more) offenders as "lost causes," the state and jurisdictions want to do all they can to reform these people. For that reason, a DUII program exists that lasts almost three years, with more harsh punishments for noncompliance.
For more information, contact local professionals like Bridgeway Recovery Services Inc.
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