Riverside D.A. Now Asking For SCRAM For 1st Time DUI Cases
The Riverside District Attorney's Office is now asking for 90 days of SCRAM on first time DUI cases where the defendant's BAC measures more than .15.
The SCRAM is a tamper-proof device that a person wears around his ankle. It measures alcohol from the wearer's sweat emitted throughout the day. The device then transmits the reading to a regional monitoring center--which reports the results to the court.
Many counties require the SCRAM device for repeat DUI offenders or very egregious cases. However, Riverside County looks to be one of the first to be seeking this penalty even in 1st time DUI cases where no accident is involved.
According to Riverside DUI attorney Michael Scafiddi, Riverside County is one of the more strict places in the state when it comes to drunk driving prosecutions. The local courts routinely impose 6 to 10 days jail even in 1st offense Riverside DUI cases--although most people can serve these days doing labor as opposed to actual time in the Riverside County Jail.
The SCRAM device can be an effective tool for courts to treat defendants with serious alcohol problems. But it may be an excessive requirement for many 1st time DUI offenders...not to mention an invasion of the person's privacy and a substantial expense (as the defendant must pay the cost of the program).
