Many people end up in the justice system because they committed crimes while intoxicated. While on probation or parole, many continue to struggle with their addiction to alcohol. This often contributes to them reoffending. There are many options available for agencies that choose to use alcohol monitoring to manage probationers or parolees. Why should an alcohol monitoring program be considered? Here are five benefits of these programs:
- Enhance public safety. Offenders who are receiving treatment and/or undergoing supervision will be monitored for sobriety or face consequences. This makes them less likely drink and drive, or commit other alcohol-related crimes.
- Ease jail overcrowding and its cost to the taxpayer. Community corrections programs allow appropriate offender populations to be held accountable while living in the community, rather than being expensively housed in a jail or prison.
- Help offenders pay for their own treatment and monitoring. Offenders who live and work in the community while supervised for alcohol consumption can be more productive, contributing members of society.
- Enhance treatment efforts. In many cases, offenders in community corrections programs will attend classes, counseling or treatment to overcome substance abuse problems. Effective alcohol monitoring can help them be amenable to such treatment efforts and help to assess their progress.
- Enhance the range of available monitoring options. New technology allows supervising officers to select from a broader, more convenient range of alcohol monitoring methods tailored to suit an individual’s needs. Offenders with severe alcohol abuse problems can be monitored in near real-time by transdermal continuous alcohol monitoring technology. Offenders with less serious substance abuse issues can submit to occasional, random urine tests.
Establishing an alcohol monitoring program using continuous alcohol monitoring clearly has benefits but requires careful planning. BI is available to discuss the components and benefits of an alcohol monitoring program with community corrections agencies. For more information, call 800-241-2911.
