Alcohol Assessment and Treatment Programs in DUI Cases

If you are facing charges of driving under the influence or another related charge such as driving while intoxicated, you may be asked to enter into an alcohol assessment or treatment program in Maryland. These programs exist to provide help to those with alcohol or drug problems, but also to help identify your bad decision so you can move forward with your life. Even if your case has not yet gone to trial, enrolling in an alcohol treatment program can be a good way to show the court that you are taking the charges seriously.

With these things in mind, the following is more information on these types of programs and how they can help your case, and keep you from making the same mistakes in the future. For further assistance with your case, contact a Maryland DUI lawyer today and schedule a free consultation.

When Would Someone Enter An Alcohol Assessment Program?

If the attorney looks at a DUI case and feels it is a winnable case, then they will likely have the defendant enter an alcohol assessment program for either 12 or 26 weeks. The assessment program is run by certified therapists and will rate you on a scale to determine what type of drinker you are. For example, you could be a social drinker, or an alcoholic, or you could potentially have a substance abuse problem.

Regardless, the assessment is meant to shed light on the reason you got a DUI, and help you with some of the things that are going on in your life such as stress or other things that could potentially weigh you down. If you are having one or two drinks to relax you probably don’t have the problem that someone who drinks 5, 6,7, or 8 drinks is having. It is not uncommon for people to be unaware of these issues and signs, and so the assessment is meant to help you identify these things and move forward with your life.

Will Enrolling in an Alcohol Assessment Program Hurt My Case?

The assessment programs don’t penalize or punish you, they only look at your situation and help you evaluate what may have led to the DUI. Additionally, it also helps with judges and if no one was hurt and there were no accidents then the court may be able to show you some leniency. By taking an alcohol program you are showing the court that you are taking this charge seriously and judges and prosecutors will often times take this into account.

Taking an assessment program will never hurt your case, which is why attorneys will sometimes get their clients to take an alcohol assessment program before they get to court.