Target 25 for Repeat DUI Supervision

See how York County, Pennsylvania used supervised bail, continuous alcohol monitoring, and coordinated case review to address repeat DUI risk before sentencing.

How the Target 25 Model Helps Address Repeat DUI Risk Before Sentencing

York County’s Target 25 program used early identification, supervised bail, continuous alcohol monitoring, and coordinated court processes to reduce repeat DUI offenses.

Repeat DUI cases create a difficult challenge for courts, prosecutors, probation teams, and law enforcement. The risk does not begin at sentencing. In many cases, the highest-risk window may happen while a DUI case is still pending.

That was the issue York County, Pennsylvania set out to address with the Target 25 program.

Before the program launched, DUI cases made up nearly 25% of York County’s court caseload. Of those cases, roughly 25% involved repeat DUI defendants, and 25% of those drivers were arrested again before their original DUI case was adjudicated.

Target 25 was built to close that gap.

What Is the Target 25 Program?

Target 25 is a supervised bail model designed for repeat or multiple DUI defendants. The program identifies higher-risk DUI cases early, applies structured pretrial conditions, and uses continuous alcohol monitoring to support compliance while the case moves through the court system.

The program was developed in York County under the leadership of Judge John S. Kennedy, with coordination across the court, district attorney’s office, law enforcement, probation, treatment stakeholders, and monitoring partners.

The model does not replace DUI Treatment Court. It supports earlier intervention before sentencing and can help identify defendants who may be appropriate for treatment court, supervision, or other structured responses.

Why York County Built the Program

York County identified four major problems in its repeat DUI process:

- Delays between the DUI incident and case filing

- Delays between the incident and preliminary hearing

- Repeat DUI defendants often receiving release without meaningful conditions

- A significant share of DUI cases involving repeat or multiple offenders

The issue was not simply that repeat DUI defendants were entering the system. The issue was that many were moving through the early stages of the case without enough structure to reduce risk before sentencing.

Target 25 changed the front end of the process.

How the Program Works

When someone is arrested for DUI, law enforcement reviews prior DUI convictions and pending DUI cases. Eligible defendants are routed into a supervised bail process instead of moving through the standard summons path.

From there, the court can require alcohol abstinence, continuous alcohol monitoring, curfew conditions, drug testing, and regular supervision while the case is pending.

Why It Matters

Target 25 focuses on the gap between arrest and case resolution. That window can create public safety risk when repeat DUI defendants are released without meaningful conditions.

By adding structure earlier in the process, agencies can monitor compliance, identify violations, support treatment referrals, and reduce the chance of another DUI before sentencing.

Reported Outcomes

York County reported major reductions after implementing Target 25. In the first year, the number of DUI suspects who committed another DUI while their original case was pending dropped from 46 to 4. The program also reported that 84% of Target 25 participants had no re-arrests, infractions, failures to appear, or revocations as of 2014.

Planning a Similar Program

Jurisdictions considering a similar model should start by reviewing their repeat DUI caseload, current arrest process, time from arrest to hearing, stakeholder buy-in, supervision capacity, testing options, and outcome data.

Download the Target 25 Implementation Guide

See the program workflow, sample forms, supervision policies, fee examples, and planning questions used to help jurisdictions evaluate a Target 25-style program.