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More and more states are passing strict laws for Hard Core Drunk Drivers (HCDD). Arizona, for instance, was one of eight states to pass tougher DUI laws in 2011 that focused on HCDDs.
Alcohol monitoring anklets, for example, is one tool states are utilizing as a way to combat HCDDs. Though expensive and cumbersome, they are to some, a welcome alternative to jail time. They also provide the freedom for those needing to attend work or school.
An alcohol monitoring anklet is a small device, weighing about one-half pound, that a person straps to his or her leg and leaves on the entire time he or she is required to wear it. The anklets are waterproof, so a person can wear it while bathing.
The device takes random samples of the wearer’s perspiration at least once an hour to check for the presence of alcohol. The anklet sends the test results back to the monitoring agency via a modem that the wearer must keep in his or her home or office.
The device can also detect attempts to remove it, tamper with it or interfere with its alcohol testing.
An alcohol monitoring anklet costs about $100 to activate, and the daily fee is between $12 and $18 per day. The person who wears the anklet is usually required to pay these costs.
Since using alcohol is one of the allegations involved in a DUI charge, judges often make abstaining from alcohol one of the conditions of release on bail before a defendant’s trial. Some Arizona judges have ordered a defendant to wear alcohol monitoring anklets before their trials to ensure that the defendant does not use alcohol.
In other cases, judges may order abstinence from alcohol as a term of probation and order the defendant to wear the alcohol monitoring anklet, rather than have random urine analysis (UA) tests, to ensure the defendant meets this requirement. Judges may even allow those convicted of Arizona DUI to wear an alcohol monitoring anklet instead of going to jail.
Arizona authorities are vigorous in prosecuting those accused of DUI. In the wake of the tougher DUI laws passed this year, it’s evident that authorities are continuing to take DUI offenses very seriously. If you are facing DUI charges, contact an experienced DUI defense attorney who can help advocate for your rights and help protect your future.