Posted on 09/23/2006 4:22:28 PM PDT by calcowgirl
Repeat drunken drivers in Sacramento County may find themselves wearing some unfashionable new jewelry -- a high-tech ankle bracelet that can tell if they've been drinking.
Sacramento Superior Court officials and the county District Attorney's office will explore requiring some drunken drivers to wear electronic devices called SCRAM -- Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitors.
The half-pound ankle bracelet -- now being tried in several California counties and other states -- detects alcohol in the person's perspiration. The results can be monitored daily via computer by court representatives.
The ankle device checks hourly for traces of alcohol, and stores data throughout the day, according to the device manufacturer, Alcohol Monitoring Systems Inc. of Colorado.
Once a day, the person wearing the device is required to be near a modem at home so results can be transmitted to a secure computer system monitored by the manufacturer.
The devices often are used on people who have been convicted of drunken driving, usually for at least a second time, and who are undergoing alcohol-abuse treatment and have been ordered not to drink.
People convicted of drunken driving in California typically have their license suspended, but the state grants some people restricted licenses so they can drive to work.
Although highway safety researchers say there have been no studies on the bracelet's ability to reduce recidivism, the device has been drawing interest around the country.
In California, Assembly Bill 1832 -- now on the governor's desk for his review -- urges counties to consider the bracelet ...
The bill's author, Assemblyman Rudy Bermudez, D-Norwalk, says the bracelet sounds like a good way to put the clamps on people who don't have the "moral fiber" to resist drinking unless they know they'll be caught and put back in jail.
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
It might work, but then you wouldn't be around to see what happened to them.
Wow!! I'm a member of the Costco in my locale but it doesn't carry liquor because Utah hasn't legalized adulthood yet.
In a more direct reply, how about this:
The Congressional class of '94 were largely conservatives; those now are just (largely) Republicans. There's a huge difference. Nannystater's are anathema to true Conservatives.
A classic!
"Maybe they should remove half of the drunks liver
so if the drunk drinks again they will be causing their own death."
Societal problem is it doesn't happen fast enough.
The drinker is quite able and willing to drink him/herself to death, whatever the pace.
"Your tagtine says it all. Fewer true Conservatives on FR every day."
Am I to construe so-called "true Conservatives" support repeat drunk drivers?
Getting a bracelet or a do-not-drink order is in lieu of a longer jail sentence, in case you didn't know that.
"Utah hasn't legalized adulthood yet"
('Cuz everybody has to wear `garmies')
Only an idiot would construe such... No what true conservatives oppose are nanny state remedies.
in theory and as a true conservative I abhore the idea. But as someone who knows a few alcoholics I think it is an idea that I can live with.
The basic problem here is that there are adults out there who are ruining their lives and the lives of their families with alcohol and with not being responsible enough not to drive when they drink.....you can make them go to treatment, you can make them go to AA, but you can't make them quit drinking. or driving.
This would really make them stop, at least for awhile.
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