mrsdragoness
03-25-2004, 11:14 AM
Bay County officials weigh alcohol-detecting ankle device for repeat offenders
Thursday, March 18, 2004
By Crystal Harmon
TIMES WRITER
Local court officials are considering use of alcohol-detecting anklets to monitor drunken drivers and certain other offenders out of jail on bond or probation.
"I love the concept of it," said Bay County Prosecutor Joseph K. Sheeran. "Repeat drunk drivers are among our most dangerous felons, in terms of the likelihood of killing and injuring people, and this seems like a great way to monitor people to make sure they're not drinking."
Sheeran and Community Corrections Coordinator Julie Bollman both volunteered to test-drive the alcohol-detecting ankle-bracelets for accuracy.
The two were among local criminal justice officials who on Wednesday heard all about the Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitors from representatives of House Arrest Services Inc. of Eastpointe.
The SCRAM device is worn around the ankle, and every hour it takes a measurement of any alcohol being emitted through the skin. Once a day, that hourly chart is transmitted, via modem, to a monitoring center in Eastpointe, near Detroit. Any violations are immediately reported to court officials.
While Sheeran experienced technical difficulties with his telephone line, Bollman was able to transmit her results from the monitor, via modem, to the monitoring center in Eastpointe.
She said she started drinking at home at about 5:55 p.m. Wednesday. She drank five 12-ounce Bud Lights, at 5:55 p.m., 6:55 p.m., 7:35 p.m., 8:55 p.m. and 9:21 p.m., she said.
Results this morning from the monitor showed the first sign of alcohol - 0.001 percent blood-alcohol content - registered for Bollman at 6:09 p.m. That percentage hit 0.03 just before 10 p.m., hit a peak of about 0.064 percent at 11:56 p.m. and then began dropping around 1 a.m.
Although those levels are below the drunken-driving threshold, defendants under court order not to drink alcohol would be in violation if they showed anything over a 0.02 percent.
Today, Bollman said she plans to try to disable the device without being detected. She said she may even ask some inmates for suggestions.
She said that while the device appears to be reliable, it is rather uncomfortable and unattractive.
"I was going to wear a dress today, but I decided to wear khaki pants instead," she said.
People ordered to wear the devices will pay with more than just fashion restrictions and discomfort. They'll also pay $100 for enrollment into the program and $12 per day for monitoring.
"We have never charged a county for anything," said Jonathan Ugval, director of operations for House Arrest Services. "All we ask is that the court order them to pay their bill."
Bay County Chief Circuit Judge Lawrence M. Bielawski said he's already ordered four defendants to take part in the SCRAM monitoring program, although three of those defendants are first serving jail terms and the fourth was just ordered onto the program on Tuesday.
Bielawski said the monitor could be an effective tool to enforce court orders prohibiting alcohol consumption and put dangerous drunken drivers in prison.
Jim Miller, market development manager for House Arrest Services, said the device is so sensitive it can detect if somebody tries to take it off, submerge it in water or places a shield between the skin and the sensor.
"We've had people use socks, a piece of paper or Saran Wrap," he said.
The sensors measure blood-alcohol content as high as 0.08; in Michigan, a person driving with a blood-alcohol level of 0.08 percent is considered intoxicated. A client on a drinking binge likely would register a sustained period of 0.08 percent, Ugval said.
Ugval said clients for the SCRAM include Isabella, Kent, Macomb, Wayne and Oakland county courts. The device has been widely available for less than a year.
Currently, people in Bay County on probation or other court order not to consume alcohol must report to a local police department once a day and submit to a breath test to detect alcohol.
But officials say a person could have no alcohol in their system at, say, 6 a.m., pass the breath test, then go out and get falling-down drunk and still sober up in time to pass the next day's test.
The SCRAM bracelet can store information for up to a week if clients are away from their modem, then transmit the information when they return home, company representatives said.
Bay County Circuit Judge William J. Caprathe said the device would be an effective tool to get chronic drunken criminals to sober up or go to prison.
"It'll get them off the street, with a probation violation sending them to prison," Caprathe said.
House Arrest personnel said they'd tailor the program for each county - even each defendant - if necessary. For "high profile" cases, they said, they could have defendants report their data more than once a day.
Probation Agent Michael Lockwood said "every OUIL-third case is a high-profile case waiting to happen."
Bielawski said many people convicted of OUIL-third offense actually may have eight or nine convictions for drunken driving, and will continue to drive, even without a license.
"This will help us put them in prison," Bielawski said, adding that state sentencing guidelines recommend county jail for drunk drivers, and an overcrowded jail often leads to early release.
Kerri Huizer, supervisor of Circuit Court Probation, said she's optimistic about the new gadget's potential.
"I'm waiting to see how well it does work," she said.
- Crystal Harmon covers Bay County courts for The Times. She may be reached at 894-9643.
© 2004 Bay City Times. Used with permission
Copyright 2004 Michigan Live. All Rights Reserved.
Thursday, March 18, 2004
By Crystal Harmon
TIMES WRITER
Local court officials are considering use of alcohol-detecting anklets to monitor drunken drivers and certain other offenders out of jail on bond or probation.
"I love the concept of it," said Bay County Prosecutor Joseph K. Sheeran. "Repeat drunk drivers are among our most dangerous felons, in terms of the likelihood of killing and injuring people, and this seems like a great way to monitor people to make sure they're not drinking."
Sheeran and Community Corrections Coordinator Julie Bollman both volunteered to test-drive the alcohol-detecting ankle-bracelets for accuracy.
The two were among local criminal justice officials who on Wednesday heard all about the Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitors from representatives of House Arrest Services Inc. of Eastpointe.
The SCRAM device is worn around the ankle, and every hour it takes a measurement of any alcohol being emitted through the skin. Once a day, that hourly chart is transmitted, via modem, to a monitoring center in Eastpointe, near Detroit. Any violations are immediately reported to court officials.
While Sheeran experienced technical difficulties with his telephone line, Bollman was able to transmit her results from the monitor, via modem, to the monitoring center in Eastpointe.
She said she started drinking at home at about 5:55 p.m. Wednesday. She drank five 12-ounce Bud Lights, at 5:55 p.m., 6:55 p.m., 7:35 p.m., 8:55 p.m. and 9:21 p.m., she said.
Results this morning from the monitor showed the first sign of alcohol - 0.001 percent blood-alcohol content - registered for Bollman at 6:09 p.m. That percentage hit 0.03 just before 10 p.m., hit a peak of about 0.064 percent at 11:56 p.m. and then began dropping around 1 a.m.
Although those levels are below the drunken-driving threshold, defendants under court order not to drink alcohol would be in violation if they showed anything over a 0.02 percent.
Today, Bollman said she plans to try to disable the device without being detected. She said she may even ask some inmates for suggestions.
She said that while the device appears to be reliable, it is rather uncomfortable and unattractive.
"I was going to wear a dress today, but I decided to wear khaki pants instead," she said.
People ordered to wear the devices will pay with more than just fashion restrictions and discomfort. They'll also pay $100 for enrollment into the program and $12 per day for monitoring.
"We have never charged a county for anything," said Jonathan Ugval, director of operations for House Arrest Services. "All we ask is that the court order them to pay their bill."
Bay County Chief Circuit Judge Lawrence M. Bielawski said he's already ordered four defendants to take part in the SCRAM monitoring program, although three of those defendants are first serving jail terms and the fourth was just ordered onto the program on Tuesday.
Bielawski said the monitor could be an effective tool to enforce court orders prohibiting alcohol consumption and put dangerous drunken drivers in prison.
Jim Miller, market development manager for House Arrest Services, said the device is so sensitive it can detect if somebody tries to take it off, submerge it in water or places a shield between the skin and the sensor.
"We've had people use socks, a piece of paper or Saran Wrap," he said.
The sensors measure blood-alcohol content as high as 0.08; in Michigan, a person driving with a blood-alcohol level of 0.08 percent is considered intoxicated. A client on a drinking binge likely would register a sustained period of 0.08 percent, Ugval said.
Ugval said clients for the SCRAM include Isabella, Kent, Macomb, Wayne and Oakland county courts. The device has been widely available for less than a year.
Currently, people in Bay County on probation or other court order not to consume alcohol must report to a local police department once a day and submit to a breath test to detect alcohol.
But officials say a person could have no alcohol in their system at, say, 6 a.m., pass the breath test, then go out and get falling-down drunk and still sober up in time to pass the next day's test.
The SCRAM bracelet can store information for up to a week if clients are away from their modem, then transmit the information when they return home, company representatives said.
Bay County Circuit Judge William J. Caprathe said the device would be an effective tool to get chronic drunken criminals to sober up or go to prison.
"It'll get them off the street, with a probation violation sending them to prison," Caprathe said.
House Arrest personnel said they'd tailor the program for each county - even each defendant - if necessary. For "high profile" cases, they said, they could have defendants report their data more than once a day.
Probation Agent Michael Lockwood said "every OUIL-third case is a high-profile case waiting to happen."
Bielawski said many people convicted of OUIL-third offense actually may have eight or nine convictions for drunken driving, and will continue to drive, even without a license.
"This will help us put them in prison," Bielawski said, adding that state sentencing guidelines recommend county jail for drunk drivers, and an overcrowded jail often leads to early release.
Kerri Huizer, supervisor of Circuit Court Probation, said she's optimistic about the new gadget's potential.
"I'm waiting to see how well it does work," she said.
- Crystal Harmon covers Bay County courts for The Times. She may be reached at 894-9643.
© 2004 Bay City Times. Used with permission
Copyright 2004 Michigan Live. All Rights Reserved.