Georgia DUI School Information
The penalties for a drunk driving offense often include rehabilitation, treatment, evaluation or education programs. The classes of these assessments are taken in the DUI schools. Attending these programs is mandatory in order to get back the revoked driving privilege otherwise the offender may end up serving some additional time in jail. If the court does not order for these programs, the Department of Driver Services in the state of Georgia will make it mandatory.
There are many DUI schools in Georgia though usually the court or the Department of Driver Services in Georgia recommends which DUI school the offender should attend.
You can go online or go through the handbook of the Georgia Department of Driver Services to know about the schools that are affiliated from Department of Human Resources. There are no dedicated facilities for the detention or the treatment program in Georgia. Still, the schools operated in different parts of the state can be obtained from http://www.georgiaduilawyer.com/http://www.peoplepublicrecords.org/georgiaduischools.html. There are a number of things that should be kept in mind before enrolling into a Georgia DUI School.
Alcohol Assessment Programs
An alcohol evaluation or assessment is mandatory if a driver has been convicted for driving under the influence. This happens in all the DUI conviction cases. This session is important to find out about the pattern and nature of the (alcohol) addiction of the convict. The cost of this assessment is paid by the offender. Usually the course fee ranges from $250 to $350. This assessment is started only after the conviction and the sentence is given by the court. There are private agencies that process and take care of the assessment programs according to the instructions of the court.
If an offender does not comply with the regulations of the assessments conducted by a Georgia DUI School, then he or she shall not be allowed to apply for a license reinstatement. On completion of the license suspension tenure, another hearing date would be requested for and then the court will determine the required course of action.
The alcohol evaluation programs are, in general, twenty hours long and emphasize on substance abuse. Other important aspects covered by the programs are self evaluation, safe driving and health. The candidates participating in the programs are tested for drugs and alcohol. In case a participant results positive, he or she is re-classified for further treatment. The assessment program is conducted before the trial or after the sentence. Normally the result of this evaluation does not affect the final sentence. In the state of Georgia it is the court’s mandate that every offender who has been convicted of a DUI offense must undergo and complete the Alcohol Safety Action Programs.
Each Georgia DUI School is associated with this program and aims at directing the drivers about the hazards related to driving under the influence.
Georgia DUI School: Enrollment Procedure
The re-offenders as well as the offenders with a higher level of blood alcohol content must go through this treatment procedure. The assessment recommends each offender to attend alcohol education and/or treatment according to their requirement. In case, the participant doest not complete the course the court may decide to place him or her on probation and the driving privilege is further restricted. Under such circumstances, it is important to report to the nearest office of the Alcohol Safety Action Program in fifteen days. If he or she does not meet their criteria of probation the case will go back to the court as a non-compliant one subjecting the offender to an additional jail sentence.
The Georgia DUI Schools offer risk reduction driving classes which are taken on every weekend and on one weekday every month. The Risk Reduction Program (DUI) needs the assessment before an offender enrolls for it. The assessment consists of 130 questions. The cost for an assessment ranges from $75 to $85 varying from one school to another. The questions are based on the pattern of the alcohol consumption or the drug addiction of the participant. Based on the assessment the classes that last for 20 hours educate the participants about their tolerance level for alcohol and the behavioral pattern associated with the addiction. The classes have been designed in a manner that they discourage the participants to re commit a crime. The assessment can be completed in less than forty five minutes.
On the successful completion of the assessment questionnaire, the participant is allowed to enroll in the program. The fee for this program is $205 which is due for an increase by early 2010 to $210. This includes the cost of the books as well. Along with the classroom notes, the program offers tips to handle situations on road or the dire consequences of drunk driving. If due to any reason, the participant fails to complete the course, the school does not recharge the fee and he or she can get enrolled once again to the program. The program also emphasizes on reflex rather than reaction which helps in fast action. If the participant feels that rescheduling of the class is necessary to carry on with the program, the DUI School does it without charging any additional cost. After completing the program successfully the participant can leave the facility with a certificate of completion.
For minor offenders, there is a custom made course of Alcohol and Drug Awareness Program or ADAP. This is a mandatory course for all drivers below 18. It is a class of one hour and is now imparted in every public as well as private schools all through the state. If a minor driver does not go to school that is, if he or she is home schooled or could not attend the class owing to any problem the Department of Driver Services in the state of Georgia can be contacted to reschedule a class for him or her.
The DUI School is not a solution for all the associated issues that come along with a DUI conviction but it is a way of giving every defaulter an opportunity to recover from the addiction. Once they go through the rigorous penalties, community service and then the 20 hours of correctional classes it is very likely that they would not re-offend. Even if they do going through another rigorous session of even stricter penalties would definitely stop them from re-offending.
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