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Deadly crashes caused by those driving under the influence are preventable tragedies that destroy lives. The Eighth Judicial District Court’s Felony DUI program (FDUI) recently received a $47,846 grant from the Nevada Office of Traffic Safety for FY 2022, to prevent impaired driving that result in crashes, fatalities and serious injuries.
The FDUI program receives well over 100 referrals a year and has a long history of demonstrating successful DUI deterrence through effective interventions such as breath-interlock devices, vehicular restrictions and long-term treatment. “Implementing a best-practice clinical approach to changing impaired driving behavior has proven to be more effective than legal sanctions or incarceration alone,” said District Court Chief Judge Linda Bell.
The FDUI program boasts a successful completion rate of 75 percent. The Eighth Judicial District Court is using the grant from the Office of Traffic Safety to focus on long-term behavior change. Established in 1997, this is the third year that the FDUI court will get funds from the Office of Traffic Safety. In FY 2020 and 2021, the program was awarded a combined $87,000 to partially fund a full-time court coordinator position to work with community partners to ensure that public safety is the top priority of the FDUI program.
The clinical court coordinator develops effective clinical programming; monitors daily drug testing, treatment compliance and use of breath-interlock devices; monitors probation and house-arrest compliance; and provides treatment recommendations for the court to consider. The collaboration between the court and the court coordinator engages participants and improves program outcomes. Hearing Master Shannon Wittenberger, who hears FDUI cases said, “I believe the oversight provided by the court coordinator dramatically improves the success rates of participants in the FDUI program. The court coordinator brings clinical knowledge, experience and regimented consistency to get participants to achieve success in the program.”
“The longer we keep FDUI participants engaged in treatment, the better the chances are for success,” said DeDe Parker, the assistant court administrator responsible for juvenile and specialty court programs. “It’s our job to keep our community safe, while promoting change through treatment.”
From January 1, 2016 through January 1, 2019, 475 clients out of 633 total discharged clients successfully completed the FDUI program, a result of a 75 percent success rate. Program success is determined on the ability to establish and maintain complete abstinence from all psychoactive substances, demonstration of a progression in treatment, demonstration of the ability to establish and utilize a recovery plan, participation in a victim impact panel and full payment of all program fees.
The felony DUI program is one of the Eighth Judicial District specialty courts that solve issues through a rigorous and coordinated approach between judges, specialty court coordinators, prosecutors, defense attorneys, Parole and Probation, law enforcement and mental health/social service/treatment professionals. All work together to help participants recover, live crime-free and become productive citizens.
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