A growing national trend − which is administered and run at the state level − is statewide 24/7 Sobriety Programs in which alcohol offenders are monitored by various means to achieve extended sobriety.
Under the 24/7 Program model, offenders are either tested twice-daily (seven days a week) for alcohol through an onsite breath test or wear SCRAMx to be continuously monitored. The majority of testing is offender paid, although there may be support from a state indigent fund. One basic tenet of the program is that if an offender fails or misses a breath test − or has a confirmed drinking event while on
SCRAMx − he or she is swiftly escorted to the local jail, which is usually located in close proximity to the testing site.
Currently, the South Dakota 24/7 Sobriety Project is one of the most progressive and outstanding examples of a 24/7 Sobriety Program. Based on its impressive results, several other states are considering implementing their own 24/7 Sobriety Programs.
Since its inception in 2005, the award-winning South Dakota 24/7 Sobriety Project has:
- Reduced recidivism
- Improved public safety
- Provided an alternative to incarceration and reduced the number of people in local jails
- Allowed offenders to remain in the community
- Permitted offenders to maintain employment
- Cut jail and prison populations
- Saved millions in tax dollars every year in incarceration costs alone
The program was initiated in response to a serious statewide problem of alcohol-fueled crime. At the time it was introduced, South Dakota had one of the highest DUI rates in the nation (21.6%), and 75% of individuals involved in fatal crashes had a BAC of 0.15 or higher. The state also had a significant problem with alcohol-related domestic violence. With the 24/7 Sobriety Project and other state initiatives, South Dakota has completely turned this around and:
- From 2006 to 2007, alcohol-related traffic deaths declined by 33%, the highest decrease in the nation (NHTSA, 2008)
- Outperformed every other state in its percentage reduction in DUI fatalities
- Achieved stellar compliance rates among program participants – 93% for SCRAMx wearers
