Alcohol Addiction Treatment Must Be a Big Part of Texas DWI Laws – Houston Criminal Lawyers
The ineffectiveness of DWI laws in Texas were the subject of hearings last week. The hearings involved several lawmakers, including Senator John Whitmire of Houston, who is the chairman of the Senate Criminal Justice Committee. Members of the panel heard from representatives of law enforcement agencies. Some of the many recommendations that were put forward included sobriety checkpoints, as well as mandatory blood tests for DWI law violators.
Some of the discussion also centered on a DWI program in Texas that levies thousands of dollars of surcharges on drunk drivers. This program has been a major failure as any Houston DWI defense lawyer will tell you. Since the program was initiated in 2003, DWI offenders in Texas have racked up more than $54 million in unpaid surcharges. The program also contains a provision that would ban driver’s licenses for motorists who fell behind in the surcharge payments. That has only led to more numbers of motorists driving without a valid license.
One approach that any Houston DWI lawyer would support was put forth by Austin police Chief Art Acevado. His approach involves intervention in the form of treatment programs for first-time drunk driving offenders. Right now, what we’re doing is simply dumping people with addiction in prison, somehow hoping that once they come out, things will be different. It’s still the same person, and they still have the same disease. Alcohol addiction is a disease, and it’s sad that law enforcement agencies and lawmakers don’t seem to realize this. Treatment will not only help free up prison space in our overcrowded prisons, but will also help the person overcome his addiction. It decreases the chances that the person will be involved in another drunk driving offense.
Currently, Texas DWI laws seem to involve a tough cowboy approach that often ends up doing more harm than good. It costs money to keep people in jail for a few months, and even then, there are no guarantees that he will never drive intoxicated again. Treating him, so he is never involved in a DWI offense again, is a far more reasonable approach.
If you have been charged with a DWI or other alcohol-related crime, contact the experienced DWI lawyers at the Kahn Law Firm today for a free, confidential consultation by calling 713-226-9900 or toll free 1-877-226-9940.
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