Alcohol Abuse Treatment for DWI/DUI

First-time offenders of Connecticut's drunk driving laws who are diagnosed with serious alcohol problems will now receive treatment for their alcohol abuse.

"Right now we have what I describe as a 'Scared Straight' program," said Rep. Robert Farr (R) of West Hartford. "For the social drinker that has an effect. It doesn't have an effect on the alcoholics."

Many drunken drivers are alcoholics and it's impossible to either "teach away" or "jail away" the problem of alcoholics who drive while impaired or intoxicated. For example, a series of investigative articles in a Connecticut newspaper revealed a high rate of repeat offenders among graduates of the state's alcohol education program, which raises questions about its effectiveness. Of 6,173 drunken drivers who took the state's course, 4,580 graduates were charged again with drunken driving.

Treating an important cause of the problem should help reduce impaired and drunken driving.