If you want to avoid jail time after multiple DUIs, this monitoring bracelet may be the ticket.
In California, DUIs are considered serious offenses. Judges and prosecutors do not tend to give DUI offenders the benefit of the doubt — especially if the person in question has had multiple DUI or wet reckless convictions in the past 10 years.
Typically, a first or even second DUI offense will not result in jail time. While it is always a possibility in a DUI case, judges usually do not order jail time in these situations. However, repeat offenders could be sentenced to county jail or even state prison, depending on the facts of their case. A DUI lawyer in Tustin, CA may be able to work out an alternative to jail time in these cases — which may involve wearing a specialized device to make sure that you do not consume alcohol.
What Is A SCRAM Bracelet?
A SCRAM bracelet is often ordered in cases where a person has had multiple DUI convictions. These devices are used to make sure that the person wearing it does not consume any alcohol — which means that he or she will not be drinking or driving.
SCRAM is an acronym that stands for Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitor. The user wears it on his or her ankle, where it continuously monitors a person’s blood alcohol level. This is done by taking samples of a person’s sweat every 30 minutes (24 hours a day). If any alcohol is present in the sweat, then the police are notified — and the person could be sent to jail. The wearer does not have to do anything to give a sample; the SCRAM bracelet does transdermal alcohol testing, and takes the sample from sweat that a person excretes normally. The device is tamper-proof, and if a person tries to take it off, then law enforcement will be notified — and the user will likely be sent to jail. The SCRAM bracelet is not linked specifically to driving; if a person drinks any alcohol, it will alert local law enforcement. It does not matter whether a person is behind the wheel of a car — just that he or she drank. The SCRAM bracelet is also equipped with GPS technology, so that law enforcement can monitor the wearer to make sure that they are abiding by the terms of their release (such as being under house arrest or being restricted from going certain places).
SCRAM bracelets are not ordered in the vast majority of DUI cases. Instead, they are usually only ordered in those cases where a person has multiple DUI offenses and may have an addiction issue. A prosecutor and defense lawyer may also come to an agreement where a defendant in a DUI case agrees to wear a SCRAM bracelet.
The cost of the SCRAM bracelet is typically borne by the defendant. It is worn for however long the judge orders it, which can be for anywhere from 30 days to more than a year. While it may be difficult for many people to adjust to wearing a SCRAM bracelet, it is often better than the alternative — going to jail. It can also be incredibly helpful for anyone who struggles with alcohol, as there will be near-immediate consequences for any consumption of alcohol, regardless of whether or not that person drives.
The SCRAM bracelet is one possible way of avoiding jail time in repeat DUI cases. At the Chambers Law Firm, we are skilled at reaching creative deals with prosecutors in DUI cases. Contact our firm today at 714-760-4088 or dchambers@clfca.com to learn more about how we can help you with your California DUI charges. Initial consultations are always free!
