Prison and Jail

[Griffin (OP)]

Deadcat I am glad you beat that 2nd DUI case I was pulling for you when you were writing about it because it was literally a week or two after I plead guilty to my stuff. I wish I would of had the money for an attorney that way I could of had my charge dropped down like yours. The 9 month license suspension sucks, I got my license back with a breathalyzer after 30 days of no license after completing the written and driving test. If I have no screw ups in 4 months of having the device I can get the breathalyzer out and my license will be just restricted until the 9 months is up. If I get a traffic ticket in the next 7 months I can't get my license back until the full 9 month suspension is served.

 The breathalyzer is such a hassle I figured it would be no big deal super easy sense I haven't drank in 4 years, but you not only have to blow in it to start your car you have to blow in it every 5 minutes while you are driving. It is hard and always pops up at the worst time like when your trying to yield onto a highway or right before you hit a traffic light. I blew "hot" 3 weeks ago and it gives you a 2-4 day lockout which means you have that much time to pay them $75 or you won't be able to start your car after the countdown of the 2-4 days ends. It is so ridiculous because it can give you a failed breath test for any reason. The time I blew hot I had blown normal to get it started and blew normal 2 minutes after i failed. The guy at the company said it could of been from my work clothes or hand soap because I had my windows up but any hot readings means you have to pay the $75.

The dmv said I have to have a hearing for it to not go against me getting it out after 4 months. It is going to suck if I can't get it out before it starts snowing because you can't leave your car on to defrost or warm up you because you have the chance of missing the test if your car is on and you are not in it.

I've only been to jail twice the second time I did a little over 30 days for a dui for taking methadone that I was getting from the clinic 18 hours or so before getting pulled over and failing the roadside test. I had to C/T from 280 mgs of methadone with a few tylenol a day even though they had my lockbox which still had 7 days of doses left in it (which they took both the box, bottles and meds and threw them out. I got 18 months probation so once I am finished I will have been on probation for 38 months total. I am hoping to get off early this time I had a month left of my original 18 month probation which they let me end it unsuccessfully after getting revoked because of the new charges. I tried 3 different times with my P.O.'s approval and recommendation to get off probation early the first time with no luck but hopefully this county and judge are more lenient and I get off after doing a year or 15 months of the 18 months.

 I find out Wednesday who my new PO is, it is for a private company that does probation. I also find out how many UAs and classes I am going to have to take so that will be good to know. Hopefully I find out if they are going to drop my $2000 supervision fees in the original county soon because at first they wanted me to pay that fee plus the $900 fee for being supervised by the private probation company. Even though I was transferred from original county and will only see them when I am done with my probation to get a paper saying I am done with everything.

Thanks everybody keep the stories coming, I feel terrible for all the harassment due to the drug war that you guys have had to go through but hopefully everyone can learn from each others mistakes and lower the risk of incarceration. I read some statistic about people on methadone going to jail who were not allowed to stay on methadone while in jail. It said 10% of the people who goto the clinic get arrested each year. The study and article were about people on methadone not getting back into treatment after being arrested and either dying from an OD or going straight back to their DOC. I forget the percentage of people who didn't return to treatment after being arrested but it was pretty high. They said the people who don't get to continue their MMT in jail and the ones who don't return after being released are much more likely to die or be arrested again.

Griffin

[DeadCat]

Griffen-  You are n Colorado, right?  That DUI I got after taking prescribed Xanax was worse than any drug bust I ever had and I have had a few.  There's been a wave of national hysteria terrifying people of drunk drivers in a society where alcohol is offered before during and after every meal, every party, every event and 9 out of 10 times we have to drive home after them.

At first I thought it was just M.A.D.D. but now I think the insurance lobby has been pushing these tougher laws so they can get a significant number of people to pay 3,5 or 5 times as much for car insurance. They push for tougher legislation and I suspect fund increased police "crackdowns" on those evil drunk drivers who are, more often than not people who aren't that intoxicated AND they keep lowering the Blood Alcohol limits so that no ANY substance and a cops word is enough for a conviction, AND if you get a public defender they are prohibited from heloing you deal with the DMV sanctions, which are more significant than the court's.

If they REALLY wanted to stop drunk drivers they would give personal breathalyzers out with every new car so at least you would know if you are risking arrest before you drive. By the way, if you have an interlock, you should buy one for yourself and use it before trying to start your car. The only  cost about $150 and can save you a ton of grief. But that won't happen becasue it would cost the insurance industry billions and cops easy overtime money.

That DUI in Arizona, my first offense, came with a 10 day jail sentence with 9 days suspended if I took some stupid class but i still had to check into the local county jail for 24 hours and pay $200 for the privilege. Then after a 6 month suspension I had to have an interlock for 1 full year even though no alcohol was involved. In a way that was a break because had they specified a drug related DUI I would have had to go to NA for a year.

Before I got the interlock I did some research and found that some brands and service support are far better than others and if you have a choice or have to keep it longer you will want to find a company that uses Draeger brand interlocks. They give fewer false positives, have a detachable head that you can take inside to kep warm for easier starts in cold weather and don't demand as many tests when driving.

Some states (like MN) are tougher with their interlock rules. For instance they have to have a camera installed to "prove" you didn't let a friend blow into it for you. Why on Earth would you ride in a car with a drunk friend driving and blow into the interlock for him I will never understand but I guess they think someone will do it.

Also, you are required to have 30 starts a month even if you don't drive all month. The tech I talked to told me it is the state trying to enforce sobriety by making you take an average of 1 breathalyzer a day, driving or not.

That whole thing from getting stopped in Arizona to having to have an interlock to let them clear me for my MN license even though it was not restricted in MN took almost 2 years and ever since then I am sure I have been subject to increased police "observation" when driving.

Anyway, do find a lawyer to help with your DMV hearing even if you  have to pay. In the long run it will be much cheaper the sooner you get free of the interlock and other restrictions.

America has become an angry place and for a lot of the Old (White) Guard, we the druggies, th liberals, the intellectuals, artists and the darker skinned are to blame and it's getting really obvious. If it wasn't, an asshat like Trump would have been laughed out of the elections. His success is becasue he is channeling all that White hate for change, liberals, intellectuals and the fact that they (the once Middle Class Whites)  aren't rich like they think they are supposed to be. But they are too stupid to recognize it was liberals ans Socialists striking that got them into the Middle Class to begin with.

[Griffin (OP)]

Yeah I am in Colorado, they are very tough on DUIs my mom who lives in a different state got a dui a month after me and her penalties are about a 10th of what mine are. She was way over the limit as opposed to me where I was fine I just had methadone in my system. All because I can't stand on one leg for more than 4 seconds without swaying. She had no license suspension, her fines weren't very high, she doesn't have to have a breathalyzer in her car, I'm not sure if she will even have to do classes, and she doesn't have to do UAs either.

I just found out last week that there is a camera in my car I thought at first it was a thing to send the info to the company without having to take it in for them to download or take my car out of lockout but that is on the other side of the car. They never told me anything about having a camera in there I used intoxalock and it is a hassle if I do have to do the 9 months I will most definitely switch to that company you told me about thank you for the information it is very helpful. You have helped a great deal with my whole situation and I appreciate it so thank you for the info and sense you were going through the same thing it was nice to see kinda what could of been.

When you told me about how they can run your plates and see the DUI which leads to getting pulled over more definitely sketched me out. I am much more careful driving now. If a cop ever pulls behind me I just turn off to the next available place or switch lanes and drive the speed limit and let them pass me because they are always speeding. I really wish that police were subject to the same traffic laws we are. There was a big story last year in Denver about cops getting caught going through red lights, speeding, and getting caught by the cars that photograph people speeding and not having to pay for the ticket. It just went away and didn't go on their driving record or anything even though.

I see cops all the time who are parked in the fire lane or handicapped spots or turn their lights on to get through a light or through traffic faster than just turn them off. I see them doing more illegal things than normal people but still people get tickets all day everyday for doing nothing that could hurt anyone. While cops always go over the speed limit and are immune to being ticketed for endangering civilians. Same thing with other crimes they commit crimes all the time with no reprecussion.

 I hate that there are no search and seizure laws when you are on probation because they not only completely trashed my car but they broke the back of my seats so the back wont stay on anymore. They had no right or reason to search my car sense I am on probation any cop or PO can search me, my car, or my residence at any time without a warrant or reason.  There is a a great book called Three felonies a day by Harvey Silverglate that is about how the average american commits 3 felonies a day unknowingly. I think everyone should read it, it is well written and interesting.


Griffin

[monkawat]

I think a lot of folks would change their woe is me attitude regarding DWI enforcement if they had lost a loved one due to a drunk driver or been physically disabled,injured, or otherwise maimed by one's actions.
 
Opioid/opiate ones are likely gonna be BS most of the time- but alcohol is a different story.

It's not like crimes that are primarily illegal due to society labeling said actions as deviant. There is a clear danger to other drivers and even the drunk driver by them being on the road in that state. I'm sure a lot of people who aren't *that* intoxicated get popped and that sucks but there are also tons of people who are endangering innocent people being taken off our nation's roads on a daily basis and that's not a bad thing.

Now if you're catching em for legally scripted drugs that you can handle driving on- that's absolutely insane and wrong as you aren't likely endangering others- but you might be surprised at how different (impaired) your ability to drive can become even with a legal BAC amnt of booze in your system, let alone when you are shitfaced.

---------

On another note- DWI checkpoints are completely fucked and unconstitutional.

[St. Theresa]

I've done 2 years state time and a few arrests for basically nothing, over all I'm no longer a menace to society...I think?
 Driving without a license bullshit. The felonies get expensive and I learned some very valuable life lessons being away from home.

Do drugs at home, and stay as far away as possible from people who attract cops ...

[monkawat]

I've done 2 years state time and a few arrests for basically nothing, over all I'm no longer a menace to society...I think?
 Driving without a license bullshit. The felonies get expensive and I learned some very valuable life lessons being away from home.

Do drugs at home, and stay as far away as possible from people who attract cops ...

Did you actually have to do prison/jail time for driving without a license? Or was that for the other charges?

[St. Theresa]

I've done 2 years state time and a few arrests for basically nothing, over all I'm no longer a menace to society...I think?
 Driving without a license bullshit. The felonies get expensive and I learned some very valuable life lessons being away from home.

Do drugs at home, and stay as far away as possible from people who attract cops ...

Did you actually have to do prison/jail time for driving without a license? Or was that for the other charges?

No my prison time had nothing to do with driving. Lol. I guess I worded that wrong.
Prison time was for a felony robbery aggravated assault.

[Jega]

I've done 2 years state time and a few arrests for basically nothing, over all I'm no longer a menace to society...I think?
 Driving without a license bullshit. The felonies get expensive and I learned some very valuable life lessons being away from home.

Do drugs at home, and stay as far away as possible from people who attract cops ...

Two solid life lessons right there. For everyone.

[Chip]

as an old BB'er, I see you get the highlight code. it brings me joy !

[Daughter of Dionysus]

I'd rather be in jail
When I was in Crook County
For 25 days
At least I got klonopin everyday

Btw
Fuck a Crook County

And September 11
Makes 1 year since I been out

[DeadCat]

I think a lot of folks would change their woe is me attitude regarding DWI enforcement if they had lost a loved one due to a drunk driver or been physically disabled,injured, or otherwise maimed by one's actions.
 
Opioid/opiate ones are likely gonna be BS most of the time- but alcohol is a different story.

It's not like crimes that are primarily illegal due to society labeling said actions as deviant. There is a clear danger to other drivers and even the drunk driver by them being on the road in that state. I'm sure a lot of people who aren't *that* intoxicated get popped and that sucks but there are also tons of people who are endangering innocent people being taken off our nation's roads on a daily basis and that's not a bad thing.

Now if you're catching em for legally scripted drugs that you can handle driving on- that's absolutely insane and wrong as you aren't likely endangering others- but you might be surprised at how different (impaired) your ability to drive can become even with a legal BAC amnt of booze in your system, let alone when you are shitfaced.

---------

On another note- DWI checkpoints are completely fucked and unconstitutional.

I'm certainly not advocating driving while impaired. What I AM advocating is a more sensible approach to stopping it. It's a conundrum; we serve and consume alcohol at almost every social function but we don't have shit for public tranportation in most of the US. They tell you "know your limits" and "drink responsibly" but the first thing that alcohol affects is your judgement. So how do you kow your over the line, (which has changed 2 or 3 times in my lifetime) when your judgement is impaired?

With all this increased police presence, roadblocks and ever increasing penalties, drunk driving hasn't really dropped significantly. As it is with drugs, education and caution are keys to preventing drunk driving. Also it would be SO SIMPLE to install a breahtalyzer in every car, or give one to anyon who asks. You could get an insurance discount for having one to encourage their use.

It wouldn't have to be attached to ignition or record  the results but if we used them like safety belts, just a "pre-flight check" we would then KNOW we were across the line and then the guesswork of knowing your BAC is gone and IF you blow over .08 you KNOW you are breaking a law and then you deserve the punishments we are now meting out to peope who are engaging in normal human behaviour and being human are fallible and making mistakes in judgement, impaired judgement at that.

The way it is now we are paying cops to hunt down people making mistakes isntead of teaching people how not to make the mistkae and giving them public transportation or the tools to prevent an error in judgement from being a crime or horrible accident. And for that matter I bet you dollars to donuts that the percentage of cops driving drunk (off-duty) mirrors the rest of society but you KNOW they give each other a pass if they get stopped.

And we have to standrdize the definition of DUI and the penalties for it across the country so we all know what rules we are playing by.

Interesting story; when I was 17 a friend and I hitchiked from north of Boston to the Shenandoah Park in Virginia over Thanksgiving on a dare.  On the way back a young, off-duty Connecticut State Trooper travelling with his pregnant wife picked us up and stopped at a store for a minute. When he came out he handed us a pint of whiskey and said, :Man, you guys look cold. This'll warm you up" then he sparked up a blunt and we all got high.We all got to talking and he and his wife thought I had a cool name and asked me to spell it. She wrote it down and said "If it's a boy that's what we're naming him." 

They were Black, we were White and I sometimes wonder if there's a kid with my name with a cool cop for a dad. But we lived in a different country then.

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« Last Edit: Today at 02:06:12 PM by DeadCat »

[Blues]

I spent 4 weekends on a 30 day sentence. I would literally run out of that place on Sundays as fast as I could -sick as a DOG. Never want to go back but looking at 18 months on a fucked up VOP.. Fuck PDs!!!

On Memorial Day this year my family and I were hit by an intoxicated driver. We left my families BBQ about 5 in the evening and the fucker crossed the center line in our lane and hut us head on. We had nowhere to go because there was a huge rock wall on our side and a river on his. Seeing him come at us and thinking we were going to die really messed me up. First time in my life i had to deal with panic attacks and broken bones.

Now my husband is a good man - a pacifist hippie with whom I love dearly but he should have beat the hell out of the man who hit us. Instead he got us out of the truck and went and helped him out of his truck.  The fucker never once asked if we were ok, was in a stupor from being passed out but not injured.  He barely passed his breathlyzer and admitted to taking prescription drugs. Of course it took a cop over an hour to get on scene.

[Zoops]

I think a lot of folks would change their woe is me attitude regarding DWI enforcement if they had lost a loved one due to a drunk driver or been physically disabled,injured, or otherwise maimed by one's actions.
 
Opioid/opiate ones are likely gonna be BS most of the time- but alcohol is a different story.

It's not like crimes that are primarily illegal due to society labeling said actions as deviant. There is a clear danger to other drivers and even the drunk driver by them being on the road in that state. I'm sure a lot of people who aren't *that* intoxicated get popped and that sucks but there are also tons of people who are endangering innocent people being taken off our nation's roads on a daily basis and that's not a bad thing.

Now if you're catching em for legally scripted drugs that you can handle driving on- that's absolutely insane and wrong as you aren't likely endangering others- but you might be surprised at how different (impaired) your ability to drive can become even with a legal BAC amnt of booze in your system, let alone when you are shitfaced.

---------

On another note- DWI checkpoints are completely fucked and unconstitutional.

I'm certainly not advocating driving while impaired. What I AM advocating is a more sensible approach to stopping it. It's a conundrum; we serve and consume alcohol at almost every social function but we don't have shit for public tranportation in most of the US. They tell you "know your limits" and "drink responsibly" but the first thing that alcohol affects is your judgement. So how do you kow your over the line, (which has changed 2 or 3 times in my lifetime) when your judgement is impaired?

With all this increased police presence, roadblocks and ever increasing penalties, drunk driving hasn't really dropped significantly. As it is with drugs, education and caution are keys to preventing drunk driving. Also it would be SO SIMPLE to install a breahtalyzer in every car, or give one to anyon who asks. You could get an insurance discount for having one to encourage their use.

It wouldn't have to be attached to ignition or record  the results but if we used them like safety belts, just a "pre-flight check" we would then KNOW we were across the line and then the guesswork of knowing your BAC is gone and IF you blow over .08 you KNOW you are breaking a law and then you deserve the punishments we are now meting out to peope who are engaging in normal human behaviour and being human are fallible and making mistakes in judgement, impaired judgement at that.

The way it is now we are paying cops to hunt down people making mistakes isntead of teaching people how not to make the mistkae and giving them public transportation or the tools to prevent an error in judgement from being a crime or horrible accident. And for that matter I bet you dollars to donuts that the percentage of cops driving drunk (off-duty) mirrors the rest of society but you KNOW they give each other a pass if they get stopped.

And we have to standrdize the definition of DUI and the penalties for it across the country so we all know what rules we are playing by.

Interesting story; when I was 17 a friend and I hitchiked from north of Boston to the Shenandoah Park in Virginia over Thanksgiving on a dare.  On the way back a young, off-duty Connecticut State Trooper travelling with his pregnant wife picked us up and stopped at a store for a minute. When he came out he handed us a pint of whiskey and said, :Man, you guys look cold. This'll warm you up" then he sparked up a blunt and we all got high.We all got to talking and he and his wife thought I had a cool name and asked me to spell it. She wrote it down and said "If it's a boy that's what we're naming him." 

They were Black, we were White and I sometimes wonder if there's a kid with my name with a cool cop for a dad. But we lived in a different country then.

Jeremiah? Caleb, Isiaiah?

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« Last Edit: Today at 02:06:12 PM by DeadCat »

[monkawat]

Interesting ideas DC, particularly regarding the possibility of a breathalyzer in more vehicles with an added insurance benefit. The ones currently in employ just seem totally shitty and buggy and if they could better the technology- that might not be a terrible idea.

But there is certainly an argument regarding the impediment of one's right to travel unencumbered, etc. But then again, nothing fucks that up like roadblocks, checkpoints, etc.

FWIW, I never thought you or anyone else here was advocating for driving while impaired. I just think in general a lot of folks I've heard (I'm not  addressing you or griffin ATM) in my hometown who have multiple DWI convictions have this weird, woe-is-me attitude about getting popped for drunk driving over and over again when they do legit stuff to get stopped and never seem to learn not to drive while intoxicated on alcohol. (or xanax and alcohol in one guy's case)

[DeadCat]

Interesting ideas DC, particularly regarding the possibility of a breathalyzer in more vehicles with an added insurance benefit. The ones currently in employ just seem totally shitty and buggy and if they could better the technology- that might not be a terrible idea.

But there is certainly an argument regarding the impediment of one's right to travel unencumbered, etc. But then again, nothing fucks that up like roadblocks, checkpoints, etc.

FWIW, I never thought you or anyone else here was advocating for driving while impaired. I just think in general a lot of folks I've heard (I'm not  addressing you or griffin ATM) in my hometown who have multiple DWI convictions have this weird, woe-is-me attitude about getting popped for drunk driving over and over again when they do legit stuff to get stopped and never seem to learn not to drive while intoxicated on alcohol. (or xanax and alcohol in one guy's case)

Ok, fair enough. I just wanted to be sure that I wasnt coming off as irresponsible. In my own experience I am extremely relieved that there was no accident or harm done. I don't know if I could live with myself had my drug use cost a life. That being said, there is risk inherent in living and everone dies, we just can't legislate that away or use fear of punishment as an excuse for "safty." Risk can be mitigated but not eliminated.

When I was tasked with finding an interlock for the Arizona offense I found message boards for the thousands of people mandated to use them. They vary widely in both quality and service as well as the professinalism of the vendors and techs. Some of them think they have ben appointed Je G-Men and hod their cutomers in open contmpt hil othrs are more compassionate. I STONGLY suggst anyone facing this do their homework before chosing a vendor.

One of the other tips I learned was that personal devices af equal quality to thise used by police at roadside stops cost about $150 and are well worth it if you are required to have an interlock and drink at all. They can be triggered to read false positives by obious things like mouthwash and less obvious ones like some breads and donuts. Even open containers of automotive fluid products inside your passenger compartment can trigger a false positive. I had a battery wire come lose while driving once that forced me to schedule a service call or be locked out in 5 days.

The company I used had local service bays and would make house calls to do mainenence foe a modest additional charge.

$150 (less in volume purchases) could EASILY be a dealer option for new carsand would very reasoanbly be made into an insurance discount to incintivice their purchase.They wouldn't have to record the data or be integrated into the cars ignition, simple letting people know they were legally at risk would preent thosuands of DUIs and more importntly DUI accidents. I have also heard they are going to be available in smart phone apps. (something I thought of and should have created, d'oh!)

By the way, cars computers qn thos Progressive type plug-ins are being used by insurance companies to record speeds and other potentially incriminating information to deny insurance claims. We accept this kind of survilance wihout a second thought because it is corporate, not government and nobody dares speak against corporate power.

The PROBLEM with it is that except for the manufacturers thee is no financial incentive to make this option easily available and integrated into auto financing as an option, like leather seats or wifi is now. But to my jaded viewpoint it is TOO simple and reasonable and comarably cheap to be made available. There is MUCH more profit in exponential car insurance hikes and for profit prisons and probations.

The above is what I specifically call "Institutionalized Corruption" where the profit motive blocks a common sense (partial) solution to while we SAY is a huge priority. It is the hipocracy of capitalism that says "the market solves all problems" so the easy and obvious (but less profitable) choice is ignored.

We see similar lies of omission in our "news" media. Bernie Sanders is now passing Hillary Clinton in early primary states' polls by tapping into liberal dissatisfaction with the corporate democrats in power but instead of this being the lead story, specualtion of Joe Biden being induced to run is the story. Again, corproarate intersts nullifying the will of the people and changing the story to dodge addressing the very real problems in our society.

While on the right,  a foolish blowhard like Trump (as Spy called him in the 80's: The Short-Fingered Vulgarian) is also tapping into the right -wing's discontent and he is all over the news while offering nothing but insults and pandering to White male anger.

OK, Rant averted.

Here is a link to a smart phone breath tester: https://www.breathometer.com

[Griffin (OP)]

I just wanted to add that I am not in anyway condoning drinking and driving or driving while impaired on anything. I think mine and deadcat cases are a lot different because we weren't impaired. I lost 6 friends in high school due to drunk driving and i only graduated with 100 people. My best friends dad killed someone(the father of a girl who went to school with us) while he was drunk driving.


I definitely think that dui's that aren't alcohol related should be a lot more black and white with less grey area. I mean you can get a dui for having bendryl in your system you took 3 days ago if you don't pass the roadside sobriety test. If you are tired or have any alcohol in your system (.01-.07) and fail the roadside test it is a DWAI which holds most of the same ramifications as a DUI but is considered a lesser charge.


It is stupid to think that everyone can stand on one foot and count to 20 with their eyes closed without swaying or counting to fast or slow. Everyone should try it and see if they pass I bet most people can't. The roadside test doesn''t tell if the person is impaired a lot of the time. Obviously if you are drunk you will fail it but most people can't pass it completely sober so there needs to be a better line drawn to dictate intoxication.

 They should test the fucking levels of drugs in your body when they do a blood sample instead of just seeing what is in your system. At least with pot you have to have a certain amount of the drug in your system to be considered impaired. For people who are everyday smokers they are most likely over that limit even if they haven't smoked in a few days. I know when I first got arrested the last day I smoked was november 16th 2013 and I didn't have a clean UA until mid-January. At least it is black in white instead of just if theres anything in your system otc or prescription in your blood and you fail the roadside test you get a DUI.

I think breathalyzers in cars is a good idea, it would help the mass incarceration going on in this country a bit and anything that helps with that I am all for.


Griffin