DUI House Arrest
One of the penalties that may be imposed for a DUI conviction is house arrest. Some states impose this penalty if you have had more than one DUI conviction. While being placed under house arrest is not ideal, many find it a better alternative than going to jail or prison. This also benefits the state because it keeps their jails or prisons from being overcrowded. The conditions of a person’s house arrest depend on the facts surrounding your case and your state’s law, but usually it involves wearing an ankle bracelet so that the state can track your whereabouts.
How it works
The ankle bracelet (which is attached and cannot be removed) is connected to a base monitoring system and a telephone line. The base monitoring system can track when you leave your home, and as soon as you do, it sends a call to a centralized monitoring databank.
But being placed under house arrest doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t leave your home ever. Depending on your sentence, you may be permitted to travel to and from work or school and then be required to return home immediately thereafter.
The judge may also require that you submit to a breathalyzer test a few times each day as part of your house arrest condition. If this is the case, you’ll receive another electronic device and you’ll be required to provide a breath test sample, which the machine will take and interpret. Electronic devices may also be equipped with a camera to take your photograph during testing. Your sample results and photograph will also be sent to a monitoring system. If your sample shows that you been drinking alcohol, your house arrest term may be revoked and you could be sentenced to jail or prison time.
House arrest is considered a privilege because if given the choice, most people would opt to be placed on house arrest rather than go to jail or prison. That’s why violating the terms of your house arrest sentence can result in severe penalties.
For more information regarding house arrest, talk to a local attorney.
