Alcohol Monitoring

SCRAM Benefits

SCRAM Programming provides benefits to all entities in the criminal justice system. Continuous alcohol monitoring programs are consistent with the goals of community safety, offender accountability, and competency development in a way that is also fiscally responsible to the tax-payer using an offender pay model. These are some specifics benefits suggestions:

Judges

  • Provides an Additional Sentencing Option – more tools in the tool box
  • Uses Community Based Program
  • Provides and/or compliments Treatment, Supervision and Rehabilitation
  • Least Restrictive Means
  • Tighter Control of Offender’s Behavior
  • Promotes Community Safety
  • Fills void for effective alcohol testing
  • Maximizes Treatment Opportunities/Resources
  • Contributes to Victim Restoration, if applicable – offender can be employed to pay back restitution
  • Mitigates Risk – reduces their liability allowing someone back in the community
  • Reduce Court Time – offers opportunity in reaching judicial decision/plea agreement sooner in the system
  • Assessment Tool – in pre-trail/conditions of bail or bond allows offender to be monitored for compliance which will assist the court in making a final disposition
  • Sanction Tool – can be used as a step-up in supervision for violators of supervision.
  • Prisoner Re-entry or Aftercare – if judge has paroling authority, can be a condition of release
  • Systematically supports efforts to help with budgetary issues, such as jail overcrowding

State’s Attorney

  • Increases Community Safety
  • Increases Offender Accountability
  • Offers Plea Bargain Opportunity without being “soft” on crime
  • Reduces caseload, plea agreements with SCRAM reduce the number of court appearances by the ASA
  • Puts responsibility onto the Offender – being monitored and having to pay for it
  • Systematically supports efforts to help with budgetary issues, such as jail overcrowding

Defense Attorney

  • Provides an Alternative Sentencing Recommendation for client
  • Use in pleas may reduce number of need court appearances
  • Allows client to benefit from being in the community, family, work, treatment
  • Provides Independent, Quantitative results to show positive/responsible behavior of client
  • Client can work, more likely to pay attorney fees

Defendant

  • Contributes to health and well being by remaining sober
  • Promotes family support – allowing to be in the community
  • Allows defendant to maintain Employment
  • Offender Pay Model has a “buy-in” and ownership factor – defendant is making a personal investment in his future supervision and health
  • Maximizes treatment/counseling participation

Probation/Court Supervision

  • Effective Caseload Management
  • No direct work load increase – Service Providers does hook-ups and monitoring
  • Provides and/or compliments treatment, supervision and rehabilitation plans
  • Excellent Sanction Tool for violators – step up in supervision – intermediate punishment supervision
  • Systematically supports efforts to help with budgetary issues, such as jail overcrowding

Evaluators/Treatment Providers

  • Enhances Assessment Efforts
  • Provides effective Risk/Needs Assessment – level of care
  • Maximizes Treatment Efforts
  • Aids in recovery of client

Secretary of State

  • Continuous Alcohol Monitoring Programs provides Quantitative Evidence to prove sobriety or even controlled drinking
  • Reports can be used for considered in a license re-instatement hearing
  • Mitigates Risk is provided re-instatement of driving license