With almost 1,800 DUI arrests in 2016 alone, Lake County has the fourth highest rate of drunk driving in Illinois. And high-risk DUI clients—those who frequently drive drunk or are likely to cause a serious crash—make up about one-third of those arrests.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office does not take these statistics lightly. To help combat this issue, the County recently launched a new alcohol monitoring program to ensure these types of individuals stay sober.
Keeping Clients Accountable with Technology
Participants in Lake County’s new program will be placed on SCRAM Continuous Alcohol Monitoring® (SCRAM CAM®) and are required to stay sober for up to 180 days as a condition of bond. This includes any drunk driving client who caused a crash resulting in serious injury, has multiple DUIs, or was arrested with a high BAC.
Drunk drivers aren’t the only ones who may find themselves in the Lake County alcohol monitoring program. People arrested for other types of offenses in which alcohol was a factor, including domestic violence and assault, may also be subject to monitoring.
Participants are responsible for the costs of their monitoring, which allows them to maintain their employment and family commitments while ensuring they aren’t drinking and endangering the public. Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office aims to reduce the number of individuals that continue to put the safety of the community at risk by committing alcohol-involved crimes while helping them maintain sobriety and get their lives back on track.
Michael G. Nerheim, the Lake County State’s Attorney, notes “Alcohol monitoring, especially when it’s part of a larger program of supervision and treatment, can support long-term behavior change, making it less likely these individuals will be back here for another offense in the future.”
