| It is slowly being recognized that addiction | | | | recidivism, enhance community safety and |
| to alcohol is a disease and not a choice. | | | | foster a healthier and safer life for the |
| Alcohol addiction causes damage to health. | | | | participants and their families by increasing |
| The economic losses due to treatment of | | | | treatment, supervision and accountability of |
| diseases are enormous. Furthermore, the | | | | the high risk impaired driver.The process |
| social damages relate to alcohol-related | | | | begins with the admission of the guilt. The |
| abuse and driving under the | | | | criteria for admission are the participants |
| influence.Lobbyists for harsher laws for DUI | | | | should be resident of Orange County, have the |
| argue that stricter punishments and penalties | | | | ability to travel to Newport Beach for court |
| have reduced the number of DUI arrests. But a | | | | and Santa Ana for treatment and supervision. |
| number of studies show that judicial actions | | | | The program is modeled after a similar |
| combined with alcohol treatment decrease | | | | program for drug abuse. The success of the |
| recidivism, the tendency to return to | | | | program depends on the effect it has on the |
| alcoholism. These studies imply that harsher | | | | DUI incidents.Alcohol treatment involves |
| laws only increase the tendency to drink | | | | medical treatment, counseling sessions, |
| more. For instance, the first thing an | | | | monitoring and supervision of the |
| alcohol addict would do after release from | | | | participants. Without medical treatment, the |
| jail sentence is to go to the first bar that | | | | programs of AA instill a sense of confidence |
| he or she comes across.In order to reduce | | | | to say no to alcohol. Hence extended |
| recidivism, a pilot program has been started | | | | participation in AA is a strong measure to |
| at the Orange County Superior Court Harbor | | | | reduce recidivism. Furthermore, the mandatory |
| Justice Center. It is one of two such | | | | formal probation does have an effect on DUI |
| programs in the US. The mission is to reduce | | | | behavior. |