Call for information: 1-800-208-3244
“Since we’ve implemented SCRAM, we’ve experienced a significant reduction in drinking violations while offenders are on the system. We feel that SCRAM is helping our alcohol offenders become more accountable for their actions.”
“SCRAM gives offenders the opportunity to prove to me – and to themselves – that they can be responsible and trusted.”
“Continuous alcohol monitoring lets us quickly assess the severity of an offender’s drinking problem and their risk to the community. Then we can better tailor the sentence to the individual.”
“The financial benefit of the system is another perk because offenders pay the cost to use SCRAM, as opposed to taxpayers contributing to the $45 per day/per inmate for the local jail.”
“The bottom line is this – SCRAM is a tool I can use to help people help themselves and that I can use to make my community safer.”
“One of the most important decisions I have to make when an offender is in front of my court is how to best mitigate risk and avoid future alcohol-related violations. By putting an offender on SCRAM, I’m confident that I’m doing the most I can to protect the safety of my community because this person will now be monitored around the clock.”
“Ultimately if you can keep them from drinking, obviously you can keep them from drinking and driving.”
“Because it fully automates the alcohol testing and reporting process, SCRAM helps prosecutors take a fair stance on DUI and alcohol-related crime.”
“You can’t be physically watching someone 24 hours a day. SCRAM lets us see if someone broke an order to (not) consume alcohol at any time and, if they did, they’ll be back before the judge. If we can curb behavior without locking people up, it’s a good thing.”
“I encourage folks when they’ve shown bad judgment by drinking and driving to stop drinking. This is a device that helps me show a judge that they have achieved that goal.”
“SCRAM relies on generally-accepted fuel cell technology. Because it has built-in safeguards and is tamper resistant, this technology holds up in court very well.”
“SCRAM automates the alcohol monitoring process, which helps make my job – and life – that much easier. With the high caseload that I have, it’s helpful that SCRAM alerts me only about those offenders who have confirmed drinking violations so I can focus my attention on those who need it the most.”
“SCRAM lets me quickly evaluate the severity of an offender’s drinking problem and their risk to the community so I can do a better job dealing with them.”
“Now we know, around the clock, whether they’re in compliance. And the mere fact that clients are aware that we know already seems to be changing their behavior.”
“SCRAM will not stop an alcoholic from drinking. We know that. But we love it because while recovery is happening for our clients, SCRAM allows us to know that the alcoholic is not drinking. Up to this point, there has been no testing method that offers that kind of assurance.”
Judge Barrasse says that since SCRAM was implemented, “We’re seeing a whole mind shift in a number of areas. Defense attorneys are coming to us and recommending that we put their clients on SCRAM, knowing that this person would have otherwise gone to jail and that SCRAM offers a better way to help them. When we first implemented SCRAM, the DA’s were skeptical but now see the benefit of the technology.” Barrasse also adds that, with SCRAM and treatment, he’s seeing a large decrease in repeat DUI offenders. “After we’ve had the SCRAM program for a couple more years, I’m looking forward to having solid data that will show us the long-term effect it has on recidivism.”
Marilyn Rosenberg, Director of Electronic Monitoring Program of the City and County of Denver, states that the City’s SCRAM program is “totally self sustaining,” with the offender paying the cost of his or her monitoring. “Denver has a somewhat poor population, so we’ve implemented a sliding fee program to help offenders on fixed incomes,” she says. “We believe that if the offenders are responsible for paying their own fees, they have more of an investment in their success with the program.”
“SCRAM has helped us do a better job monitoring offenders, as well as helped the offenders be more successful in their lives,” says Pam Bunke, Administrator of the Adult Community Corrections Division of the Department of Corrections of Billings, Montana. Mary Aggers, DUI Caseload Officer agrees, “SCRAM has been tremendously beneficial for us. I don’t know how we did it before.”
The City’s Municipal Court Judges are very positive about the role SCRAM plays in their courtroom. “SCRAM is a great tool, and one of the best I’ve seen in my 38 years of dealing with alcohol offenders,” says the Honorable Judge Warren VanLandschoot who, prior to being elected to the office of Municipal Court Judge, served for 28 years with the North Las Vegas Police Department. He says that SCRAM has been particularly effective in deterring offenders from repeat incidents. “We don’t see many alcohol offenders come back through our courts once they’ve been on SCRAM,” he adds. Judge Sean Hoeffgen concurs. “We’ve found that if offenders are compliant while on SCRAM, they’re probably compliant in other areas of their probation.” Robert Jones, Program Coordinator, states “we know SCRAM is a good solution for us, and we’re seeing positive results from it.”
Richard Rodriguez, Deputy Director Community Supervision and Corrections Department, advocates technology combined with treatment, which is why he believes SCRAM is such an integral part of the County’s alcohol offender program. “Usually when people continue to drink even while on probation, there are other problems going on in their lives – they can’t hold a job, have family issues, etc. That is one reason why combining treatment with an effective drinking deterrent like SCRAM is the only real way to reduce recidivism.” To date, more than 100 alcohol offenders in Ellis County have been part of a program that combines SCRAM monitoring with treatment. “As a result, we have seen a definite and significant reduction in recidivism, and only a very small percentage of these people offend again,” Rodriguez adds.