Driving under the influence charges can bring about hefty fines and even jail time for some offenders but there are alternatives such as community service. The alternatives to jail include electronic monitoring, community service, work release, work furlough, city jail, alcohol rehabilitation, drug rehabilitation, sober living and probation. All of these options are available for motorists that are charged with driving under the influence but not every offender will be able to avoid jail time, especially if they are repeat offenders or if they cause an accident that results in the death of another person. Alternatives to jail are:
Electronic monitoring
This is more commonly known as house arrest. This means that people cannot leave their house when under electronic monitoring except to go to work or to attend school but must return to their home by an appointed time.
Work release
Work release is when the offender is assigned to work at a specific site by the probation department and the worker is only allowed to go home to sleep at night.
Work furlough
Work furlough is when the offender is allowed to keep his or her job but they return to a facility much like a dormitory at night to sleep. They then return to the work site the next day.
City jail
Being sentenced to a term in city jail is sometimes voluntary. The offender will check themselves into the jail and be released either the next day or two days later. This is also referred to as weekend jail or private jail.
Alcohol or Drug Rehabilitation
This is when an offender has an underlying addiction to drugs or alcohol and their defense attorney can suggest a stint in rehab for the addiction instead of being sentenced to jail, which might aid in the development of their addiction instead of curing it.
Sober Living
Repeat offenders could be sentenced to living at a sober house where all of the residents are sober, helping the repeat offender get sober as well. This is another alternative to being sentenced to a period of time in jail.
All of these alternatives to jail time differ from state to state, so an offender should consult an attorney before deciding to take their case to court. The penalties that can occur as a result of a DUI conviction vary from state to state and vary depending on the age of the motorist and whether or not they are repeat offenders of the crime. If you are under the age of 21 and are convicted for the first time you face these penalties:
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Class A misdemeanor with possible 0- 12 months imprisonment
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Loss of driving privileges for minimum 2 years
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100 hours community service
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Fines of up to $2,500
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Eligible for Restricted Driving Permit (RDP) after one year of revocation
If you are over the age of 21 and are convicted for the first time you face the following penalties:
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Class A misdemeanor with possible 0-12 months imprisonment
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Loss of driving privileges for minimum 1 year
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100 hours community service
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Fines of up to $2,500
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Eligible for RDP
If you've been charged with a DUI, Consult with a DUI Lawyer to discuss your case and your options.
