State News
46 counties in state join Sobriety Project
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FarkPIERRE - More than two-thirds of South Dakota counties have embraced an initiative by Attorney General Larry Long to keep chronic drunken drivers off the road.
If ordered by judges, repeat drunken drivers in those counties must report to sheriffs' offices twice a day for breath testing or other means of detecting alcohol consumption.
People are taken immediately to jail if tests show that they've been drinking alcohol. Those who miss appointments are tracked down and locked up.
The effort began two years ago as a pilot project in 14 counties. It worked so well that Long persuaded this year's Legislature to expand it statewide. The law went into effect July 1, and 46 of the state's 66 counties are now signed up.
Training sessions were held recently in five locations.
County participation is voluntary, but Long hopes all counties eventually will get on board.
Data from the pilot effort showed a 99 percent success rate, Long said. Most of those people were in the program for about four months.
The new law also expands the testing to drugs, either by urinalysis or special detection patches.
"We've got really fabulous compliance numbers on alcohol. I'm anxious to see what the compliance numbers are for drugs," Long said, admitting that it will be especially difficult to toe the line for those who are hooked on highly addictive drugs such as methamphetamine.
Judges can use the program as a condition of bond or sentencing, and the state Parole Board can direct parolees to do the daily alcohol and drug testing, too.
The new law provides the attorney general with $345,000 for starter kits in counties and other expenses. Restocking of supplies for alcohol and drug testing will be financed by fees that participants pay.
Long said the cost will be $1 for each breath test, $5 for urinalysis that will be done twice weekly and $40 for drug patches that will be worn for 10 days before replacement.
In counties where twice-daily alcohol testing will be a burden, special electronic bracelets that detect the presence of alcohol will be used, he said. It will cost participants $5 a day for the bracelets, Long said. Those fees will go to his office to defray the cost of the $1,450 bracelets, he said.
Long's office has purchased 200 of the bracelets that are being loaned to counties.
The 24/7 program, as it's called, also has been be expanded for use in cases of child neglect or abuse, Long said. The program will help ensure that those parents stay away from alcohol and drugs after their children are returned, he said.
"If they don't show up for a test, or if they show up and blow a hot test, then our computerized program is designed to immediately notify the appropriate Department of Social Services personnel so someone will immediately go check on the kids."
Long said it may be necessary to keep some parents in the daily testing program for several years, if that's what it takes to keep them sober.
Alcohol and drug abuse are at the heart of most abuse and neglect cases, he said.
"There's an extremely high correlation between alcohol and drug abuse and child abuse."
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