Comment on What Next-Torture for DWI? by eddiemills43

eddiemills43 — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 21:55:49 +0000

I am writing this to discuss the penalties of a 3rd DWI conviction. The penalties for a 3rd DWI are as follow: A multitude of fines, 6months in the county jail, and a loss of registration and loss of driving privileges for 10yers, as well as thousands in insurance surcharges. This may not seem like a lot to people who have either been injured themselves or had a loved one injured or killed by a drunk driver, but to the average person these penalties should be alarming! If you were to compare the penalties of this serious driving offense to actual crimes, you will see why this should be alarming to you. People who commit actual crimes such as drug possession, distribution, weapons charges, and more disturbingly crimes of violence or sexual assault rarely receive penalties this severe. People convicted of these crimes are offered many different options in which to full fill there sentences. Such as PTI, Probation, SLAP, Community service, and ISP just to name a few. After they have exhausted all these options and are sentenced to a period of incarceration, these criminals are still not out of options to reduce their sentence. They then have things like good time (consecutive days with no other trouble,) work credit, (days off for each day you work) and then probation or parole again! I’m sure there are other options they have that are not listed above to reduce the amount of days that they actually spend in jail. People convicted of a 3rd DWI offense are not given these or any other options to reduce or avoid their period of incarceration. It’s 180 days they serve day for day. No good time or work credit! Let’s look at the adverse affects that these penalties will most likely have on a person convicted of a 3rd DWI. Once convicted the person is sent directly to the county jail to begin there 6 month period of incarceration, giving them no time to plan anything for their children and families. Unlike with actual crimes in which the offender is given another court date to come back for sentencing allowing time to plan and spend time with children and their families. During this persons period of incarceration he or she will most likely lose their employment and ability to provide for their family. As well as the ability to pay various bills like mortgages, rent, schooling, and car payments just to name a few. This will cause the loss of homes, cars, and other things which will ruin their credit, resulting in added struggles and strains for them and their families. This will put more families on welfare, rental assistance, and other forms of government aid. Costing N.J. tax payers thousands extra each year. This person will have no means to gain employment or assets left to become a productive person in society again. Leading to drinking again to ease there minds from their newly accrued problems. Or maybe even worse another form of substance abuse such as, pills, cocaine, or even heroin. Causing them to perhaps turn to crime as a way to support there new habit as well as recover from the financial hole they fell into while they were incarcerated. These are some examples of how these penalties will do more harm then good! Some people will lose a lot more then just material things such as their marriages, and children.
In short, instead of evaluating these people to determine what is causing there abuse of alcohol, so we can setup some type of rehabilitation process to fix this persons problem at the root. We in turn apply the penalties listed above to complicate there lives more then what initially made them turn to the bottle in the first place! These penalties are very extreme as well as unjust for something that isn’t considered a crime. Not to mention they are very counter productive! The penalties for this offense need to be changed immediately, before they ruin more lives than what they save! Isn’t the justice system supposed to be set up to rehabilitate people? Where is the rehabilitation in these penalties? So for those of you who are going through rough times like a divorce, loss of a job or lived one, skip the bottle and go straight to a needle! The penalties for this are far less and with the penalties the way they are, you are on your way there anyway! If you would like to support me and my fight for a system that rehabilitates people instead of harm them. Send comments, letters, or money orders to:
Morris County Correctional Facility
ATTN: Eddie Mills
43 John Street
Morristown Nj, 07960

Comment on Deadly Interlock by DCoffey

DCoffey — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 15:35:49 +0000

This is incredibly false information about how an interlock device works. The devices have a 2 minute safety re-start without the driver having to take a test. This feature is specifically designed for the driver that perhaps does stall in traffic.
Secondly, concerning the rolling re-test. Drivers have at least 6 minutes to take a re-test before the interlock device records any form of violation. If the driver does not feel safe to re-test, they can wait and pull over safely or wait till they are in a safer driving position.
These comments are typical of the urban legends and myths that surround the devices. Many times they come from some of the device users or nay-sayers who are attempting to discredit the program or device in hopes of getting it removed.
My advise to any of your readers is to have an interlock installed on your vehicle and see for yourself how it works. I have one on my car now. It is always a good reminder to me that this technology does what it is meant to do. Seperate drinking from driving, keep our roads safe, keep your clients driving and in their communities. Being licensed and driving is a better option than jail, or unlicensed. Licensed clients are insured clients are drivers not driving drunk. DC

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