Stamford DUI Alternative Incarceration Centers
Following a DUI conviction, people are typically incarcerated. However, prison is not the only option for those who have committed crimes. In some instances, especially if someone is a first-offender, or if there are extenuating circumstances in their case, there are alternatives the court may recommend. Stamford DUI alternative incarceration centers are a potential alternative to prison. If you want to know more about AIC, speak with an experienced DUI attorney that can help.
What is An Alternative Incarceration Center or AIC?
An alternative incarceration center or AIC is an organization that is funded by the state and is used as a location where courts can make referrals for appropriate counseling and evaluative services for a person that is arrested not only for a Stamford DUI or DWI but for a whole host of other types of arrest as well.
Stamford DUI alternative incarceration centers provide an array of counseling services and included among those is substance abuse treatment and so an AIC location will be placed where a person can attain and use those services.
Relationship Between the Court System and AIC Programs
In order to get into an AIC, the judge must refer the defendant to the AID, and make a condition of release. AIC has a special relationship with the court in that they are obligated to report to the court about the arrested person’s progress in the treatment and that they are taking in any drug test or alcohol test that are administered to the arrested person.
Benefits of Using AIC Versus Private Counseling?
The benefit of Stamford DUI alternative incarceration centers is that the person who is arrested does not pay out of pocket for those services. Somebody who truly needs the counseling and services but who may not be able to afford a private version of those services will find AIC to be helpful.
In addition, because AIC is a condition of somebody’s release, if the arrested person does successfully follow the program and does success do what the program asks of them, it will look favorable to the court and for the prosecutor in terms of the arrested person’s ability to follow a court order and to engage in appropriate treatment services.
That will give the court and the prosecutor a high degree of confidence that the person is amenable to rehabilitative services and is not likely to be somebody who will offend again in similar nature in the future and who is asked to follow the rules.
Drawbacks of Using AIC Instead of Private Counseling
On other hand, the drawbacks are, because Stamford DUI alternative incarceration centers can be a condition of release and because they must report to the court, if the arrested person does not do what they are supposed to do, it will come with consequences, which could be in the form of separate charge of violating conditions of release.
Instead of specifically charging a person with violation of their conditions of release, the judge may impose other sorts of penalties or other sorts of remedial measures such as raising a person’s bond, and the rationale would be that the person has shown that they are not interested in rehabilitating or engaging in rehabilitative services. More importantly, the person has shown that they are not able to follow rules.
The court may raise that person’s bond, which will mean that unless they can post that amount of bond, the person will have to remain in custody unless and until that bond is changed or removed. The other con of the AIC program is that it is not flexible in terms of the types of services that are provided and when those services are provided.
Reasons AIC Might Be Difficult
Stamford DUI alternative incarceration centers cannot always cater to everybody’s specific needs and life circumstances. Instead, these facilities are made for handling a large group of people who are thrust into their center by virtue of a court order and so because of that, they can only provide services at a certain time and under certain conditions.
Often that may conflict with the arrested person’s schedule, child care, or family care needs and it can also affect their ability to be employed. For example, if the counseling services are only available at that time when the person is working, a person might try to avoid it. Not because they do not want to do rehabilitative services or because they do not think that the AIC program is effective but rather because they want that an additional flexibility in order to be able to continue doing productive things with their life.
What Happens If Someone Does Not Obey the Conditions of AIC
If the arrested person does not follow through with the program requirements or otherwise violates a condition with the respect to using drugs or alcohol then it will be looked at as a violation of the conditions of release and can come with additional or enhanced penalties. AIC, although it is a rehabilitative organization, does come with strings attached; a person who is referred must be aware that, it is going to a counseling service that is required to report to the court and is being made a condition of that person’s release. While Stamford DUI alternative centers can be a helpful resource for some, that does not mean that they work for everyone. If you have been charged with a DUI, consult a knowledgeable DUI lawyer that can answer any questions you may have about AIC and can fight for a positive outcome for you.