Colorado Springs DUI Probation Attorneys
The Role of Probation in Drunk-Driving Sentencing
Many drivers arrested for DUI in Colorado are first time offenders, meaning that they have never before been convicted for the crime of driving while under the influence. Consequently, penalties associated with these first time offenders are typically fairly lenient, often times taking the form of probation sentences rather than actual jail time. In order to ensure that charges and potential sentences one may be facing are kept as minimal as possible, the services of an experienced Colorado Springs DUI defense attorney should be retained as soon as possible after an individual is taken into custody for DUI in Colorado.
Jail time is meant to rehabilitate. While probation is certainly the preferred option over jail time, it too is intended to rehabilitate an individual who has been accused of and found guilty of wrongdoing. In regard to Colorado DUI, probation may include a variety of requirements other than jail time that need to be met in a timely fashion.
Additional Requirements
Often times, DUI probation in Colorado Springs involves license suspension or some sort of restriction, preventing the accused individual from having all the usual freedoms that your average driver typically has. In addition, probation may include mandatory drug testing and counseling sessions, community service, or even require the successful completion of a drug dependency treatment program. Essentially, probation consists of punishment and time served outside of a jail cell rather than time served within the confines of a prison.
According to a Special Report filed by the United States Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Statistics in 1999, the likelihood for an individual to participate in alcohol treatment or self-help programs is greater when the individual is on probation as opposed to serving jail time. An overwhelming 89% of convicted drunk drivers found themselves on probation that year, with nearly two-thirds of that percentage being labeled as first time, DUI offenders. For those individuals who are in fact guilty of having operated a vehicle while intoxicated, probation is the punishment that is most often sought after due to its close semblance to one's former life and routine, not to mention lack of jail time.
Retaining a Colorado Springs DUI Lawyer
At The Bussey Law Firm, P.C., our experienced Colorado Springs DUI sentencing lawyers will represent your best interests in a court of law. For more information about DUI defense and the role probation may potentially play in your sentencing, please don't hesitate to contact our Colorado Springs defense firm today. Call (719) 475-2555 for a free consultation, and a skilled DUI defense lawyer will discuss the best course of action to take for your defense given the circumstances of your arrest.
Colorado Springs, Colorado, DUI defense attorney Timothy Bussey provides experienced and aggressive DUI criminal defense representation for clients in El Paso County, Teller County, and Pueblo County, including the cities Colorado Springs, Monument, Manitou Springs, Woodland Park, Pueblo, Cripple Creek, and Castle Rock.
February 3rd, 2012