San Antonio Express News ran a report last week of a Tarrant County DWI probation program called Felony Alcohol Intervention Project. It is designed for offenders with three or more DWIs. This program these repeat offenders to accept a “plea bargain for a seven-year prison sentence that is probated to four years. The goal of the program is to reduce the number of injuries and deaths from alcohol related accidents. Currently, there are 175 probationers with 10 graduates.
FAIP include the following requirements:
- 10 days jail
- work 40 hours a week
- Driver’s license suspense for 6 months to a year
- random urinalysis
- counseling and alcohol treatment; including daily meeting for the first 90 days
- ankle monitor that detects alcohol for the first 90 days
- attend court weekly for judicial review
- meet with their probation officer once a week
- community service at homeless shelters
While this may be good resolution for some folks, it is clearly not a one size fits all solution. Some case just need fighting, and not just a quick probation outcome. If this type of programs comes to Austin, we will sure look at on a client by client bases. Pleading guilty to a felony DWI is always an avenue of last resort.
Posted in: AUSTIN DWI
