Claiborne Ferguson is a DUI attorney who runs the Claiborne Ferguson Law Firm in Memphis, Tennessee. He devotes his practice to DUI defense and capital murder cases, and has extensive experience in all aspects of DUI law. Here, he talks about alcohol classes, which may be required for those convicted of a DUI and may also be exchanged for jail time.
In the state of Tennessee, drug and alcohol safety school may be required if you are convicted of a DUI. Treatment for repeat offenders is mandatory, if available, as a condition of probation for those convicted of a second offense. But while many people have heard about such classes, few know what they are really all about unless they have attended them in the past, or have a friend who was required to attend.
These classes are designed to change the behavior of people convicted of drug or alcohol offenses while driving. They will look at your drinking/drug-taking patterns and behavior, and help you come up with a realistic plan to follow in order to stop you from repeating the offense. Hopefully, by the end of the class you will have changed your attitudes toward drinking and driving. Although if not and you are convicted again, alcohol rehabilitation could be in your future as well.
Anatomy of a Class
Usually the classes will vary in length depending usually on how many convictions you have had in the past. They can also take into account your reported blood alcohol level at the time of your conviction to determine the length of your course.
The classes must be approved by the court and you must pass them – and they must be paid by you as well, from $100 on up, running into thousands of dollars. You will also have to product documents to the court attesting to the fact that you have finished all the coursework involved.
Some possible topics covered in the class could include:
- How drinking and driving can affect others’ lives
- Effects of alcohol and drugs on an individual’s body
- Specific DUI laws in your state, and how they could apply to you
- Identifying symptoms of substance and/or alcohol abuse
- Victim awareness
Remember, attending alcohol classes can be in your best interest. Not only will you learn about potentially dangerous behavior that could affect you in future, but your jail time could also be reduced. For the majority of people convicted of a DUI offense, attending alcohol school is a lot more preferable to spending time in jail. Keep in mind also that in some states, including Tennessee, a second offense conviction, which carries a mandatory sentence of 45 days in jail, will allow you jail credit for up to 28 days of in-patient drug and alcohol treatment.
