Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania's Target 25 Program Reducing Repeat DUIs by 90%
73%
Reduction in recidivism
1,200+
Individuals safely monitored
$2.1M+
In annual taxpayer savings
Pennsylvania
Reduction in recidivism
Individuals safely monitored
In annual taxpayer savings
91%
Reduction in Pretrial Re-offense
400
Offenders Monitored Daily
150
Offenders Diverted from Jail Monthly
York County, Pennsylvania, faced a significant challenge with repeat drunk driving offenders. Prior to 2012, nearly 25% of cases in the county courts involved DUI charges, and 25% of those cases were repeat offenders. The Honorable John S. Kennedy observed that many DUI defendants were committing additional drunk-driving offenses between their arrest and trial. In one striking case, a defendant committed two additional alcohol-related offenses before his preliminary hearing and another DUI before the resolution of his first charge.
To address this critical public safety issue, Judge Kennedy spearheaded a task force that included the District Attorney's office, probation, local law enforcement agencies, judges, and court personnel. The result was the creation of the York County Court of Common Pleas DUI Court in 2010 and the Target 25 Program in 2012, with support from grant funds provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and NHTSA.
SCRAM Continuous Alcohol Monitoring (SCRAM CAM) serves as the cornerstone of the Target 25 Program. The technology enables the court to mandate sobriety as a condition of bail while providing 24/7 monitoring to ensure compliance. This approach allows repeat DUI offenders to remain in the community under close supervision rather than occupying limited jail space.
Before Target 25, DUI defendants frequently committed additional drunk-driving offenses while awaiting trial. In 2011 alone, 46 DUI suspects committed a second offense while their original case was pending. This pattern undermined public safety and complicated case disposition.
A small group of chronic offenders accounted for a disproportionate share of DUI arrests. In 2011, just 125 people were responsible for 600 repeat DUI arrests, straining court resources and law enforcement capacity.
Traditional sentencing approaches that relied heavily on incarceration contributed to jail overcrowding. The county needed alternatives that maintained accountability while reducing the burden on correctional facilities.
Drunk drivers who committed additional offenses before their first case was resolved could be charged with the same level of offense, such as two first-offense DUIs. This resulted in lesser penalties that failed to reflect the true severity of the offender's behavior.
Implement immediate intervention for repeat DUI offenders to prevent new offenses while cases are pending. The program requires law enforcement officers to run records checks during DUI stops, with immediate arrest and bail hearings for those with prior records.
Replace incarceration with community supervision and treatment for appropriate offenders. For convicted tier 1 and tier 2 second-time DUI offenders, jail time has been replaced by house arrest combined with continuous alcohol monitoring.
Use alcohol monitoring data as an assessment tool to identify each defendant's treatment needs. This evidence-based approach helps affect long-term behavior change rather than simply punishing offenders.
York County implemented SCRAM CAM as the foundation of the Target 25 Program, creating one of the largest county-based continuous alcohol monitoring programs in the country.
Conditions of bail include mandated sobriety supervised by SCRAM CAM for an average of 90 days. The technology provides 24/7 transdermal alcohol testing, giving the court reliable data on each defendant's compliance with sobriety requirements.
As needed, the program places pretrial clients on CAM combined with RF house arrest. Approximately one-third of all program participants are placed on combined alcohol monitoring with house arrest, providing enhanced supervision for higher-risk offenders.
SCRAM CAM data serves as an assessment tool to match defendants with the treatment they need. This approach ensures that supervision resources support long-term behavior change rather than simply monitoring compliance.
The success of Target 25 has earned national recognition. In 2014, Judge Kennedy and Target 25 received the Peter K. O'Rourke Special Achievement Award from the Governors Highway Safety Association. In 2015, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) presented Judge Kennedy with its Public Service Award at the 33rd Annual Lifesavers Conference.
Within Pennsylvania, Lancaster and Warren counties have both modeled new pretrial programs on Target 25 using SCRAM CAM. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is funding an independent study of the program, conducted by the RAND Corporation, to evaluate Target 25's impact on pretrial recidivism.
Note: The source content did not include direct quotes from program officials. Defendants are responsible for the costs associated with monitoring in the Target 25 Program.