The National Center for DWI Courts commends Judge Martha Minot in her efforts to establish a new DUI court in La Plata County (Herald, Feb. 24). By following through with this proposal, La Plata County will reduce the number of crashes, deaths and injuries caused by DUIs, as well as substantially reduce costs, both financial and personal, to the community.
The proposal by Minot is timely, considering Colorado’s new DUI law, which makes the fourth impaired-driving charge in a lifetime a felony punishable by up to six years in prison. This new law is expected to cost taxpayers $20 million in the first three years for increased expenses in the judicial and prison systems – but it won’t if more repeat offenders are prevented from getting a fourth charge. Multiple studies have confirmed that DUI courts can reduce recidivism by as much as 50 to 60 percent and save hundreds of thousands of tax dollars per year. Another study found that participants were half as likely to be involved in a crash within 18 months after the DUI arrest that brought them into the program.
NCDC particularly applauds Minot’s adhering to best practices by: 1) identifying and serving the correct target population (such as offenders who have received three or more DUI charges); and 2) ensuring that DUI court participants undergo in-depth assessments to discern substance-use disorders and mental-health issues that contribute to impaired-driving incidents. DUI courts are proved to have better outcomes when the right criminal justice stakeholders team up to address the wide variety of issues facing DUI offenders, and it is vital that this team include chemical and mental health treatment professionals.
Judicial officials are right to follow through with Minot’s proposed DUI court program so that La Plata County can begin holding repeat impaired drivers accountable by addressing their addiction to alcohol, saving valuable taxpayer dollars and making communities safer.
James M. Eberspacher, director, National Center for DWI Courts
Alexandria, Virginia
