Understanding the Criminal Justice System
If you are arrested and charged with drunk driving in Indiana, the harsh consequences begin well before any trial, plea, or conviction. Limitation or loss of your driving privileges is one of the more common penalties after an Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated (OVWI) arrest. Additionally, many individuals awaiting trial on drunk driving charges, as well as those convicted of felony drunk driving, will find that they are prohibited from sipping a drop of alcohol for an extended period of time, with even more penalties imposed on them, including jail time, if they imbibe.
If you’ve been banned from drinking alcohol, you may also find yourself carrying around a new device to go with your smartphone or iPod that will inform prosecutors and law enforcement if you have any alcohol in your system any time of day or night and even let them know if you’ve set foot in a bar.
About 200 people in Marion County charged with or convicted of felony drunk driving have recently been ordered to carry with them at all times a cell-phone size device called a Real Time Alcohol Detection and Recognition (RADAR) monitor. The monitor operates as a mobile breath test. When it vibrates, the user is required to blow into it. RADAR takes a “breath print” and measures the pulse and vibrations of the lips to determine whether someone has been drinking. The device not only can tell if the user has consumed alcohol, it can tell where the user is and has been as it is equipped with GPS.
This is not the first such device that Indiana and Marion County authorities have used to monitor those ordered to abstain from alcohol. Previously, many individuals were issued a device called the Mitsubishi Electronic Monitoring Station (MEMS 3000) into which the user would blow and then an alcohol “score” and picture would be transmitted to the Marion County Community Corrections Department. MEMS replaced an earlier system called SCRAM, for Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitor, which was an ankle bracelet that measured sweat on the skin every 30 minutes for the presence of alcohol.
Bottom line: if you’ve been ordered not to touch booze because of an Indiana drunk driving arrest or conviction, Big Brother will definitely be watching you to ensure that you stay away from the stuff.
The penalties for drunk driving in Indiana can be numerous and severe. If you are convicted of this type of offense, you may lose your driving privileges for up to two years. If you have multiple drunk driving convictions, you may be required to serve at least twenty days in the county jail, face felony charges, and can even lose your driving privileges for life.
If you have been charged with drunk driving, I can help. There are many things that a good attorney can do to help a person charged with a drunk driving offense, and I will put my experience to work on your behalf. I will examine all of the issues relevant to your case, and help you determine the best course for your defense. Don’t face the ordeal of a drunk driving arrest on your own. Call me at 317-983-5333 for a free consultation.
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