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5/18/2005
A 2001 Louisiana state law that
required judges to suspend the sentences of repeat drunk-driving
offenders and place them in treatment programs should be amended, the
state's district attorneys say.
The
Associated Press reported May 16 that the DAs told the state Senate
Judiciary Committee that while treatment can sometimes be more effective
than prison, too often treatment is not available. Moreover, said
Ouachita-Morehouse District Attorney Jerry Jones, there are cases where
treatment is not an appropriate sentence for a third- or fourth-time
drunk-driving offender.
Under the current law, third-time offenders are sentenced to one to five
years in prison, and fourth-time offenders face 10 to 30 years. But the
law required judges to suspend all but 30 days for three-time offenders
and 60 days for four-time offenders, and instead place them in addiction
treatment and home confinement.
A bill sponsored by state Sen. Joel Chaisson (D-Destrehan) and approved
by the Senate committee would once again give judges the power to impose
longer prison terms. Chaisson noted that due to lack of treatment
capacity, just 5 of 47 repeat offenders from his district completed
treatment; nor were they required to serve more than minimal prison
terms.
"I had a judge tell me putting a drunk in jail does not help him, and I
wholeheartedly agree," said Chaisson. "But it sure helps the public."
Mothers Against Drunk Driving is supporting Chaisson's bill.
Source:
Join Together
Online.
Join Together is a project of the
Boston University School of Public Health. |
