The Janesville Police Department out of Wisconsin has introduced a new initiative known at the Sober Streets Project. The project includes publishing geographic information of repeat DUI Offenders. The police department will provide online access about an offender’s geographic whereabouts for “public safety and reference purposes only.” Searchers will allegedly be able to see how many DUI/OWI convictions the person has as well as a mug shot.
The map is designed after the national registry showing where convicted sex offenders reside. The sex offender registry was made public to protect individuals from potential harm. The Janesville Police Department hopes that Project Sober Streets will offer the same protection against drunk drivers. Many of the offenders listed have 5 or more drunk driving offenses, have revoked licenses or are on probation.
Has the Janesville Police Department gone too far? Does publishing addresses and other information about repeat drunk drivers protect the greater good or is it a complete invasion of privacy?
Perhaps a less invasive option would be to target the underlying problem of alcohol addiction that many of these repeat DUI offenders face. Alcohol monitoring has proven effective in many multiple drunk driving offense cases. SCRAM bracelets and other alcohol monitoring devices guarantee the sobriety of the offender and provide assurance to the public that the offender is not driving under the influence. GPS monitoring is also available so that law enforcement can monitor the whereabouts of an offender at any given time. These options would, perhaps, eliminate any risk of invading the privacy of an offender and still address public safety concerns.
For more information about the SCRAM bracelet or other alcohol and drug monitoring contact Diversified Monitoring Systems today. We are available via email at info@dmsprogram.com or call us at 714-245-9910.