Govt Hails Success Of Rehab For Drink Drivers

[george]

Govt hails success of rehab for drink drivers

BANGKOK: -- The director-general of the Ministry of Justice's Department of Probation yesterday hailed the success of efforts to control the behaviour of drink drivers, saying that convicted drink drivers who participated in behavioural correction programmes were extremely unlikely to emerge as re-offenders.

Mr. Kittipong Kittiyarak said that last year the courts had ordered 38,450 traffic law violators into behavioural correction schemes, in addition to levying fines.

While only three years ago, the courts made a mere 22 percent of violators undergo rehabilitation, by last year this percentage had shot up to more than 90.

Mr. Kittipong said that while fining alone rarely deterred drink drivers, behavioural correction programmes had produced startling results.

Drink drivers convicted for driving under the influence alone, whose driving has not caused any other damage, are required to report to probation officers four times a year, and undertake 12-24 hours of community service.

During this year, those convicted are taught about the effects of drink driving on its victims, and are ordered to work with victims on anti-drink driving campaigns.

This includes pushing victims confined to wheelchairs as a result of drink driving accidents.

The director-general of the Department of Probation said that this year drivers would be warned that they would be made to participate in rehabilitation programmes if convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol.

--TNA 2005-01-04

[Neeranam]

A step in the right direction - good news.

[RDN]

Govt hails success of rehab for drink drivers

BANGKOK: --  The director-general of the Ministry of Justice's Department of Probation yesterday hailed the success of efforts to control the behaviour of drink drivers, saying that convicted drink drivers who participated in behavioural correction programmes were extremely unlikely to emerge as re-offenders.......

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It would be nice if he could back up his optimism with facts. Like, how many convicted drunk drivers who had undergone this wonderful programme had re-offended compared with previous years' figures for those that had not undergone the programme. Any chance of this happening? Or is he just giving himself a pat on the back?

Mr. Kittipong said that while fining alone rarely deterred drink drivers, behavioural correction programmes had produced startling results.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So where are they?

[penzman]

The repeat offenders dying in car crashes don't count.