Twice-daily testing of repeat DUI offenders ramps up in Missoula

[Newsjock]

Source: Missoulian

... DUIs are about to get a lot more inconvenient in Missoula County.

Soon, repeat drunk drivers will have to report twice a day to the Missoula County Pre-Release Center for breath tests to prove they’re staying sober. Plus, they’ll have to pay for that particular privilege – so taxpayers won’t have to.

... Participants pay $3 per breath test, $10 per drug screen, or $10 a day for an alcohol-monitoring ankle bracelet or a visual breath test done from home.

... People with DUIs usually lose their licenses, at least for six months. That means they’ve got to rely on family or friends to get them to the tests. Although Mountain Line runs along Mullan Road, there’s no bus service in the evening, Wilkins said.

Read more: http://missoulian.com/news/local/twice-daily-testing-of-repeat-dui-offenders-ramps-up-in/article_1d24d5a4-812b-11e1-bc93-0019bb2963f4.html

[freshwest]

1. This may herald a rash of sober driving.

[msongs]

3. more likely its for the influx of cash to the local "protect and serve" gang nt

[RC]

2. Alcoholism is a disease. An addiction. It needs to be treated as such.

Relapses often are brought on by stress. How does this help? Especially when the so-called offender here may be unemployed or trying to hold down a low paying job or two, at odd hours and barely getting by as it is?

We can do better than imposing draconian punishments that do not fit the crime. Assuming there even was an event in today's world that rose to the level of a civil violation the first place.

[Joe Shlabotnik]

7. Couldn't agree more.

This is a smug, puritanical and asymmetrical over-reaction. A lot of struggling service industry and manual laborers rely on driving just to make ends meet, and not everyone has public transit available. Good way to throw someones family into poverty, even if only a victim-less crime was committed.

[Odin2005]

4. Good. I hate drunk drivers.