DUI / DWI laws are becoming stricter all the time, and the consequences of a drunk driving conviction can be severe. Many motorists must serve time in jail, pay substantial fines, and have their driver’s licenses suspended.

However, courts in many states have developed alternative sentencing arrangements that allow motorists convicted of drinking and driving to fulfill all or part of their sentences in creative ways. An experienced lawyer from www.NotDrunk.com who focuses on DUI / DWI defense will explore alternative sentencing as a way to lessen the impact of a drunk driving conviction.

Alternative sentencing programs were developed to help as well as punish convicted drunk drivers. Alternative sentencing allows convicted DUI / DWI drivers to keep their jobs and obtain treatment for alcohol and/or drug problems, if necessary – options not often available in county jail.

Some jurisdictions offer what may be known as good time or work time custody credits in drunk driving cases. Custody credits allow every hour of alternative punishment to be subtracted from the hours that would otherwise have been spent in county jail.

The types of custody credits available vary from state to state and jurisdiction to jurisdiction. The types of alternative punishment available may include freeway cleanup, community service, sober living environments, electronic monitoring, alcohol and drug rehabilitation, Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, and/or participation in a MADD Victim Impact program.

There are also other types of alternative sentences available, depending on the state where the DUI / DWI conviction took place. The installation of an ignition interlock device can qualify as an alternative sentence in many jurisdictions. An ignition interlock device is a piece of equipment attached to a vehicle’s steering column that requires the driver to provide an alcohol- free breath sample before starting the car.

Another option may be the Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitor, or SCRAM, which measures alcohol with a device attached to the DUI offender’s ankle. Use of a SCRAM device ensures the court that the driver is abstaining from alcohol as ordered.

Work furlough allows a convicted drunk driver to work during the day and check into a housing facility at night. Another option may be work release, which allows the driver to go to an approved job during the day and return home at night.

Some jurisdictions allow DUI / DWI offenders to serve their jail sentences at “weekend jails” at local police stations instead of county jails. Some police agencies “rent out” their jail cells to drunk driving offenders overnight or for a weekend.