In California, driving under the influence of alcohol or driving while intoxicated is a crime that the law does not take lightly. While harsh penalties such as jail time, fines, and license suspensions are common sentences in such cases, the law in California does provide for alternative sentences. With the help of an experienced DUI / DWI lawyer, a driver may be able to get the benefit of alternative punishments that may be more suitable to the motorist’s particular drunk driving case.
One of the more common forms of community service is freeway cleanup. D.U.I. offenders who work in freeway cleanup do so by joining a Caltrans work crew as a condition of probation. Pursuant to a program known as good time/work time custody credits, hours spent working with Caltrans will be credited toward jail time a person would otherwise be serving. Each hour of cleanup will be equal to one hour of a jail sentence.
The Caltrans work day lasts eight hours and it involves picking up trash, clearing brush, and cleaning graffiti from walls along the freeways. The Caltrans work day usually begins at 6 a.m. in the parking lot of a Caltrans location, where workers board vans to travel to work sites. Caltrans work is available every day, although weekend slots are in high demand, so it’s important to arrive at the pickup site early to ensure a place in line. Failure to arrive on time may result in missing a whole day.
Freeway cleanup is generally offered as a condition of probation. The drunk driving offender is given a deadline to complete the required number of hours. If the hours are not completed on time, the offender will be in violation of probation and jail will become a serious possibility. Any DUI / DWI lawyer would warn a person to complete all programs and to not violate probation.
Caltrans is not always the most attractive alternative for a person who is convicted of driving under the influence or driving while intoxicated. However, for many people the option is better than time in jail. Caltrans can be done over time and will allow a person to live a pretty normal live in the meanwhile. Alternative sentences have been created to punish, but also provide a more productive activity than sitting in a jail cell. Oftentimes these alternative sentences help to clean up or improve a place, as well as allowing the offender to keep a job, an option that would not be available if jail was the only option.
Many California DUI / DWI attorneys recommend Caltrans work when it is available as an alternative sentence. It is not the only alternative sentence available. The court offers different options that should be considered in greater detail. Consult The Kavinoky Law Firm to find out if Caltrans freeway cleanup is an option for you.