DUI Charge in San Diego: Jail Sentence Alternatives

So you've been charged with drunk driving in San Diego and it looks like the court might order you to go to jail. However, did you know that there are alternatives to going to jail? Depending on your previous DUI or criminal record, your San Diego DUI lawyer may be able to work it out so that you may not have to spend consecutive days and nights in jail. Here are just some of the jail sentence alternatives available in San Diego:

1. Go to jail on the weekends only - This is known as, of course, "Weekend Jail". It's also known as "City Jail" and some police departments offer this type of program in which participants check themselves in and stay in jail during the weekend. This makes it easy for the offender to go to work during the week.

2. Alcohol or drug rehabiliation - As we've seen time and time again, jail simply does not fix the problem for many drunk driving offenders - especially those who are repeat offenders. Attending an alcohol or drug rehabiliation program can help to address those underlying psychological or emotional issues related to their addictions.

3. House Arrest - The offender is ordered to wear an electronic monitoring device such as an ankle bracelet to ensure that they remain in the vicinity of their residence. Sometimes the wearer can attend school or go to work, however they must be back home at a certain time.

4. Sober Living Home - This is a type of living situation where everyone assigned to live in the home has to work on combating their problems with alcoholism or drug addiction. Most of the time the residents in a sober living home have to take 12-step classes or have one-and-one time with a rehab counselor.

5. Work Release - The offender works at a site chosen by the Probation Department or court. They work there during the day, but are able to go home at night to sleep.

6. Work Furlough - The offender works their regular job during the day, but they have to go to a dormitory-type facility to sleep at night.

Make sure to hire an experienced DUI lawyer in San Diego who is familiar with these types of programs. Your lawyer has the ability to assess which jail alternative would probably be the optimal choice for your particular case. The laws are different for every state, so it's best to consult with your lawyer.