According to the Texas Department of Transportation, “About every 20 minutes in Texas, someone is hurt or killed in a crash involving alcohol.” That statistic doesn’t even take into account the number of people that are arrested for a simple DWI without any injuries. In Collin and Dallas counties, along with the rest of Texas, the courts are backlogged with DWI and drug cases. Unfortunately, courts across the country have learned that the traditional methods of punishing defendants in these cases are unsuccessful. Even Collin County admits, “Putting alcoholics and drug addicts in jail has not alleviated the problem.” The Texas courts have found that incarceration is not the solution. Instead, close community supervision, incentives, and sanctions have proven to work better. These methods have proven to do the following:
- Reduce recidivism
- Save tax dollars
- Alleviate court calendars
- Preserve families
- Make the roads safer
- Help offenders be productive citizens
In Collin County, its DWI/Drug Court specifically targets drivers who were arrested for driving while intoxicated (of alcohol or drugs), who are highly likely to re-offend without receiving treatment for their condition. Essentially, the program is for drivers who are in the “high risk” category, such as alcoholics and people with substance abuse problems. The whole goal of the DWI/Drug Court is to target the root cause behind the alcoholism or substance abuse. Once someone is placed in the program, they go on supervised probation. From there, the defendant must:
- Receives intensive counseling
- Submits to random drug or alcohol testing
- Appears in court frequently
- Be closely monitored to ensure compliance
As we touched upon earlier, the program addresses the underlying causes of the person’s driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. However, the program also holds the person accountable for their actions and helps them develop new skills for staying sober. The DWI Courts have proven successful in helping drivers overcome their dangerous driving behaviors that place all roadway users in harm’s way. Do you qualify for DWI/Drug court?
- You must live in Collin County
- First DWI with high BAC
- Second DWI (misdemeanor)
- First DWI with accident
- First DWI with drugs
- Misdemeanor drug possession
To learn more about the benefits of DWI/Drug Court in Collin County and to see if you might qualify, contact our firm to meet with a Plano DWI lawyer.