Alcohol education classes in Fredericksburg are required for individuals who are convicted of a DUI. If a person is required to take a course or is planning on attending classes upon a charge, they are advised to contact a knowledgeable attorney to learn their options. A well-practiced DUI attorney could help you understand what may take place in a course, and the advantages and disadvantages of attending before a conviction.
Most Fredericksburg alcohol education classes are a part of ASAP or VASAP. VASAP is Virginia’s Answer to Substance Abuse Problems, and it is a program that is mandated by the Virginia court system and Virginia law if a person is convicted of DUI. The court could additionally impose ASAP as a form of conditional probation. For example, a reckless driving under the influence of alcohol case may have ASAP as a part of conditional probation unless the DUI was for drugs or any other different type of substance. Since there is no specific school for DUIs in Virginia, classes in these programs may be anything from group meetings, group therapy or counseling sessions, and actual educational curriculum that teaches the person about techniques to help them curve their tendency towards addiction.
Given that the only applicable program in Virginia is the ASAP, a person charged with a DUI could enter ASAP voluntarily before their court date. ASAP would do an evaluation on them and may have them attend classes if they think the person has a substance abuse issue. In certain cases, pre-enrolling helps a person with an ignition interlock. Individuals could get that installed more quickly than they would if they waited until after they were convicted to enroll in ASAP. The courses they take in ASAP will be related to their substance abuse problems and ways that they may take control of their substance abuse issues rather than driving.
ASAP has a set curriculum created and administered by the state of Virginia that discusses ways that the person could work on their addiction problems. The program helps identify and stop some of the person’s addictive behavior and teaches them how to make better decisions. While they have a panel of individuals affected by DUIs in some locations, this is more common in rural areas.
One of the things that taking Fredericksburg alcohol education classes could do is to show the person’s intent to change and their acknowledgment of their issue. It may show the fact that they are addressing the underlying issues that come with a DUI charge, which are substance abuse and the inability to control drinking or make smart choices regarding alcohol or other substances. It might also show the willingness to address those issues and an attempt to prevent those types of situation in the future.
Another advantage of taking the class is that it could look good in the eyes of the Commonwealth and of the judge and could pave the way for a smoother transition after a conviction. Though ASAP often costs more if it is done prior to a conviction, it can benefit the person by speeding up the process for things like the ignition interlock device.
An individual should speak with their attorney, therapist, or counselor about what they need to do and what type of approach they need to take regarding alcohol education. The process is typically individualized to the person, their current substance abuse issues, their track record with these types of programs, their history with a particular substance, and their goals going forward. Reach out to a hard-working attorney and learn more about alcohol education classes in Fredericksburg today.