DUI Community Service

Driving under the influence, or driving while intoxicated, is a serious crime that carries severe penalties. While some drivers face paying fines or being sentenced to jail time, alternative sentencing options might be available under special circumstances. One type of alternative sentence is performing DUI community service.

Community service is essentially performing work without pay for a nonprofit or civic organization. There are many benefits to community service. Community service is cost-effective for taxpayers, as it reduces the burden of overcrowding jails.

Community service is also beneficial to the defendant, as he or she is able to live at home while performing a service for a good cause. The hours spent performing community service are applied to the amount of time that the defendant would have spent in jail.

In some cases, typically for first-time offenders, the judge will allow the defendant to perform community service for an organization of his or her choosing. These organizations may include the Salvation Army, the Red Cross, YMCA, or the local humane society. Defendants in certain professions, such as electricians, doctors, plumbers, etc, may have the option of donating their skills to a local social service organization.

Another community service option is speaking before a group about the dangers of drinking and driving or assisting an anti-DUI group, such as MADD.

No matter which option you choose, it is important to carefully record all of the community service hours that you have worked. This record is used to prove to the court how many hours were worked.

The penalties you face for drunk-driving depend on a number of factors, such as your blood alcohol content (BAC), the number of prior DUIs on your record, or if you caused an accident as a result of being under the influence. These penalties may include probation, a driver�s license suspension, fines, and the installation of an ignition interlock device.

If you are facing DUI charges, it is important to contact an attorney who is familiar with drunk-driving laws in your area. An experienced defense attorney can evaluate your case to determine if DUI community service is an option rather than jail time.