Dallas Judge Vickers Cunningham needed a way to stop defendants from continuing to drink and drive. Too many times he would see repeat offenders. Urine tests were not effective since alcohol metabolizes in the system quickly. Judge Cunningham sought a new technology that would monitor alcohol use and ensure sobriety of participants. Amazingly, since implementing the SCRAM bracelet requirement for repeat drunk driving offenders he has seen more success stories. Defendants pay for the alcohol monitoring so that it has no effect on the budget of the probation department or the courts.
Judge Cunningham is not the only Texas Judge to find comfort in requiring alcohol monitoring through the SCRAM device. Denton County Criminal Court Judge David Garcia and former McLennan County Judge David Hodges both say that the device has helped offenders with underlying alcohol problems that could not be solved with jail time, fines or other punishment.
The device has proven effective in Texas and throughout the country. Judges, probation officers and attorneys have all seen the benefits and a reduction in DUI recidivism. Many judges that handle complex drunk driving cases require repeat offenders to wear the device to ensure complete sobriety. If there is a violation, there is an immediate notification. This means that action can be taken swiftly and an offender is taken off the streets before additional damage is done.