Texas tells drunk drivers to Scram

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by Change | 20 Nov 2008

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Alcohol abuse monitoring has been implemented as a response to drink driving in the US state of Texas.

alcohol addiction is being targeted in the US to try and reduce high numbers of motorists driving under the influence (DUI).

The state of Texas has implemented a new technique to serve as an alternative to "warehousing" those caught while intoxicated behind the wheel by issuing custodial sentences.

An anklet is permanently worn which tests the motorists’ sweat to determine whether they are engaging in alcohol abuse.

Currently, the Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitor (Scram) is being used on 1,300 DUI offenders and has monitored 6,000 people since its introduction in 2003.

Mike Iiams, the chief executive officer and chairman of Alcohol Monitoring Services, claims the system is being used because people are committing these crimes due to alcohol addiction.

He says: "These individuals aren't driving drunk over and over because they want to break the law, they're driving drunk because they have a drinking problem. This isn't just a criminal issue ... this is an addiction issue."

District court judge Vickers Cunningham claimed reoffending statistics showed previous strategies were not working but says removing alcohol addiction from the equation allows these people to become productive members of society again.

According to recent research conducted by Manchester University's National Drug Evidence Centre, undergoing rehab treatment reduces the chance of a former addict reoffending by 50 per cent.

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