Hardcore offenders should be required to participate in treatment
as determined by the assessment. The length of mandated treatment should
be sufficient to produce meaningful, noticeable change. However, given the
choice, too many hardcore offenders opt for jail rather than participate
in a treatment program addressing the issues that cause them to drink and
drive.
According to two studies (Siegal 1999; BOTEC 1998), hardcore drunk drivers
often resist treatment and even spend some time in jail to avoid it. An
in-depth study of hardcore offenders found that, despite a large number
of drunk driving arrests, many felonylevel drunk drivers have never received
treatment or even attended alcohol education classes.
Results of a study in Massachusetts by BOTEC Analysis Corporation indicate
that in many cases hardcore offenders will accept treatment only when the
alternative is a substantial term of incarceration. Since one of the fundamental
characteristics of all addictive disorders is denial of the addiction, many
offenders refuse to accept they are in need of treatment. And because behavior
change can be a difficult process, even those who know they have a problem
are often unwilling to undergo treatment. |
