Program stakes out repeat DUI offenders

Los Angeles Daily News ^ | 8/2/08 | Sue Doyle

[goldstategop]

Habitual drunks are the kind of people with no responsibility. They will either end up killing themselves or end up taking someone else's life.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[goldstategop]

Habitual drunks are the kind of people with no responsibility. They will either end up killing themselves or end up taking someone else's life.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[Ron Jeremy]

Davila represents one of at least 2,000 San Fernando Valley residents who have multiple DUI convictions and suspended driver licenses but continue to drive, police said. And it's a statistic that likely played a role in a 56 percent increase in DUI-related collisions last year in North Hollywood alone.

Why? Because habitual drunks continuing to drive on a suspended license was new last year?

[driftdiver]

If they are so dangerous they need to have secret police following them around perhaps they should be in jail already. Why not put them in jail after say the 2nd or 3rd one?

But that kinda negates all that romanticism about secret police watching ya.

[Spktyr]

It’s California.

In Texas, the third offense is a state jail felony. No more firearms, no more vote.

If California felonized 3rd offense DUI, it might end up being a red state, and they can’t have that, so....

[randog]

With the younger generation so enamored with tattoos, perhaps it’s time to bring back the scarlet letter. If you get convicted of a felony and have tattoos, you earn a tat on the forehead describing your felony.

[Defiant]

Because illegals are very likely to drive drunk with their fake identity, and they are getting drivers licenses.

[LRS]

Ok, I admit it: my first thought when I read the headline, involved wooden stakes, leather straps, a hot sun, and ants...

[papasmurf]

Yeah. I’m confused here. Calif. had a 3 strikes and you’re in for DUI’s, what happened to that?

One of my Brothers did 18 months in Tehachapi prison for 3 DUI’s in 7 years. It worked. He hasn’t had a drop since.

[papasmurf]

This a program that I can back. It’s a good use of police funds, unlike parking a car in a known bad area, with the windows down, and the keys in the ignition.

That one really rubs me raw.

[don-o]

To help convicted drunk drivers get on the right path, judges order them into treatment programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous that are paid to take them in, Harrington said.

1. AA is not a treatment program.
2. AA has no dues or fees. We are self supporting through our own contributions.

[Myrddin]

Suspending or revoking the license of a habitual drunk does nothing to keep them off the road. They drive anyway. The only thing that stops them is death or incarceration. Better the latter case...before they kill others with their irresponsible behavior.

[eyedigress]

Alcoholics Anonymous is no longer anonymous when people are sentenced to it. The court is using a private gathering illegally.

[FormerACLUmember]

This is an excellent use of police resources: focusing on obvious career criminals.

[Trailerpark Badass]

Why not put them in jail after say the 2nd or 3rd one?

Arresting and punishing drunk drivers and drug possessors seems to be a very lucrative enterprise for many municipalities. Fines, probation visits, alcohol/drug awareness classes, DUI driving school...go to your local court or check out the police blotter of your local paper.

Tough to collect fines when the guy's in jail. heck when he's in jail he's costing the county money.

[driftdiver]

“Tough to collect fines when the guy’s in jail. heck when he’s in jail he’s costing the county money.”

I thought the point of jail was to 1) punish the person for the illegal act, and 2) keep society safe from those people shown to be dangerous.

Fines should be about penalizing the criminal and not making the city a few bucks. If someone is a danger to society they should not be running around without leg irons.

[Oldexpat]

It sounds like a great program. Now just promise us that they will deport every illegal that is caught driving drunk with or without a license.
If you read the papers in SoCal..a very high proportion of the drunk drivers are illegal and they can be deported on first offense..gone.
Actually, if you had a cop outside the court room..most people who get suspended drive away in their own car.

[Graybeard58]

A.A. 40 a whole bunch of years and I've never heard of this:

To help convicted drunk drivers get on the right path, judges order them into treatment programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous that are paid to take them in, Harrington said.

Somebody got their story very wrong or they do things differently in other areas from what I have ever seen.

[Graybeard58]

A.A. 40 a whole bunch of years and I've never heard of this:

I swear I haven't been drinking but I must have written that. I meant to say, "I have been in AA for a whole bunch of years and have never heard of AA taking money for allowing people to come to meetings.