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September 2005 - Posts

Spend the night in jail, or a motel?

Holly Kabler and Christy Barnett have made it possible for first and second time DUI offenders in Douglas County Kansas to trade their jail time for a "weekend intervention".  Their company is C.H.A.T.S, for Christy and Holly's Assessment and Treatment Services.  Kansas requires first and second time DUI offenders serve 48 hours incarceration, complete a Drug and Alcohol Evaluation, and attend alcohol education classes.  C.H.A.T.S satisfies these requirements in a 48 hours lock-in at a local motel.  Participants check in on Friday at 5:30 and remain 48 consecutive hours during which they receive 26 hours of Alcohol Education, and their evaluation.  The benefits to a program like this are endless, not only do the offenders get to avoid jail time, but satisfy three of their requirements.  Participants say the program is educational, helpful and even fun!  The best part is the program is totally offender pay, meaning less crowded jails and no cost to the tax payer. 

 

 

posted by matt | 0 Comments
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To Blow or not To Blow?

Countless times a week I explain to people what ignition interlock is and how it is helpful.  There always seems to be a wide array of questions that are asked, but one that I can always count on is "If someone gets pulled over and they have been drinking; should they blow, or refuse the test?”  In Kansas if you refuse the test you will receive a mandatory license suspension for one year on your first offense, two years on the second, three years on the third, ten years on your fourth and a permanent license revocation on the fifth occurrence.  If you take the test and fail and are charged with a first time DUI, you will receive a 30 day license suspension, followed by a 330 day restriction.  These restrictions are to and from work, to and from school, to and from a religious ceremony, and for emergencies.  However if an offender chooses to have an ignition interlock installed on their vehicle they would not be bound by those restrictions.  On a second, third and fourth offense, the offender would have a one year license suspension followed by a one year license restriction.  The restriction being only driving a vehicle equipped with an ignition interlock device.  And on a fifth conviction, the Department of Motor Vehicles would permanently revoke the driving privileges of the offender.  So in my personal opinion I would recommend always taking the test. By taking the test you will always end up back behind the wheel much faster than if you refuse the test.  Although you will have to provide a breath sample to start your vehicle, your buddy, wife, mom, neighbor, or boss will thank you for not refusing the test and making them drive you around for another year.

 

 

Thanks to Tim Hibbard and Engraph

I wanted to say thank you to Tim Hibbard and Engraph for their support and help with setting up our web page!!  With their help we will be able to bring the most up to date information to our clients and many others.  Tim helped design a few really neat parts of our website including our new find a location page.  He has tied it into Google maps to give our clients and easy way to find our shops.  Tim talks about using Google technology to make maps like these available.  People needing ignition interlock in Kansas will soon be able to find information on what the state requires of them to get their license back, schedule and installation and get directions to where they will be installed at.  With technology like this everyone in the Kansas DUI process wins.

 

 

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posted by matt | 0 Comments
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Smart Start Ignition Interlock

My name is Matt Strausz and I work for a company in Kansas that helps to curb the drinking and driving.  Our company is Smart Start of Kansas.  We install and service mobile breath testing equipment, or ignition interlocks, that prevent a vehicle from starting without a clean breath sample from the driver.  These devices are installed generally because of state requirements for second and/or subsequent DUI/DWI/OUI offenses.  This will hopefully get important information out about our industry and give information on a very underutilized tool that is available to help us win the war on drinking and driving.