Fremont County, Wyoming has an estimated 36,310 residents. The number of Valid Driver License in Fremont in 2008 – 28,000. The number of DUIs in Fremont County in 2008 – 671.
That means that statistically almost 1 in every forty people got a DUI in Fremont County in 2008.Repeated surveys conducted by the Department of Health, Substance Abuse Division and its contractors have documented extraordinarily high rates of problems related to substance abuse including mortality, crime rate and high rates of family dysfunction (Fremont County Comprehensive Substance Abuse Plan, 2004-2007). Alcohol involved traffic crashes in Fremont County were 34% above the state`s rate for 1995-1997 and alcohol involved arrests for the same period were 171% above the national rate. Between 1994-2004, 5,480 people were arrested for Driving Under the Influence (DUI) in Fremont County; approximately 30% of those were second or subsequent offenders.
Numerous and varied sentencing options can be imposed on DUI offenders. However research clearly identifies intensive supervision as one of the most effective means of reducing re-arrest rates. Unfortunately, the high number of DUI offenders precluded that option in our community - there were simply too many DUI offenders for Wyoming Department of Corrections and Probation and Parole to manage. As a result nearly all offenders were placed on unsupervised probation. Without any oversight, offenders could easily "hide" from the criminal justice system and before long it became common knowledge that there were not real consequences for the DUI offender who did not comply with the conditions of his/her probation. By 2001, over half the people who were convicted of DUI did not comply with one or more conditions of their probation.  As a result, the DUI problem continued to grow and second and subsequent offenders began to make up an increasing percentage of offenders arrested for DUI. A solution was clearly needed - something that would increase compliance  with probation, get help to those with substance abuse problems and ultimately reduce to incidence of DUI in Fremont County.
IPR and the County Attorney worked together to design the DUI Supervised Probation (DSP) program - a program which would allow agents to supervise DUI offenders so that compliance with conditions of probations, including completion of substance abuse treatment was achievable. It was decided that IPR would manage DSP.
Although various sentencing options can be imposed on DUI offenders, research identifies intensive supervision as one of the most effective means of reducing DUI recidivism. Injury Prevention Resources` DUI Supervised Probation (DSP) Program provides court-ordered supervised probation to convicted DUI offenders. The primary objective of DSP is to ensure that DUI offenders comply with the conditions of probation imposed by the court.
The DSP program provides an intermediate stop between unsupervised probation and Drug Court. DSP is individualized, comprehensive and long term (24-36 months).  DSP clients are required to meet face to face with their Probation Agent frequently throughout the length of their probation. Clients sign a release of confidentiality so that documentation if clients` compliance with conditions of probation (including treatment for substance abuse) can be exchanged between other agencies and Injury Prevention Resources. Abstinence from alcohol and illegal drugs is required and clients are tested routinely and randomly for evidence of alcohol and/or drug use. Clients are required to be either employed full time, attend school full time or perform community service and must pay $30.00 per month to Injury Prevention Resources for each month in DSP. 
The primary objective of the DSP Probation Agent is to balance supervised strategies aimed at enforcing rules with those designed to assist clients in changing behavior. The DSP Probation Agent assist clients with complying with the conditions of their probation, monitors their compliance and reports their compliance or non-compliance to the proper authorities. This included providing clients with guidance and support, identifying services needed to help clients successfully complete probation, imposing intermediate sanctions when appropriate and monitoring and reporting clients` progress to the Prosecuting Attorney and sentencing court.
Currently IPR has 260 clients with over 804 served in the last 4 years.

How the DUI Supervised Probation (DSP) program works

A person is ordered to participate in the DUI Supervised Probation program (DSP) or becomes a participant through a plea bargain, the rules and costs are many. Rarely do people think about just how that DUI is going to affect most every aspect of their life.

 During the first three months in the program, offenders are required to meet with their Probation Agent at least once each week. After the initial three months, visits may be reduced to every two weeks if the offender is compliant with all conditions of probation. Offenders remain on supervised probation for 24 months in most cases and sometimes 36 months. Also during their first two months they are required to submit to twice daily breathalyzers (BAC’s) followed by three months of random breathalyzers (Drug and Alcohol Testing, DATS).

All DUI offenders must obtain a substance-abuse evaluation and complete treatment as recommended. Abstinence from alcohol and drugs is required and offenders are tested routinely and randomly for evidence of alcohol and/or drug use. Offenders are required to be employed full time, attend school full time, or perform community service, and must pay all fines ordered by the court (including any unpaid fines from previous offenses). All offenders are required to attend a Victim Impact Panel, and many offenders are also required to complete a DUI-education course in addition to any professional treatment they receive (both the Victim Impact Panel (VIP) and DUI Course (PRIME For Life) are offered by IPR). If an offender becomes non-compliant with their probation, then they are referred to the County Attorney’s office for further action.
 

Often, when an offender starts probation all of this – breathalyzers, treatment, classes, AA, insurance, getting their license back, weekly meetings with their Probation Agent – can seem overwhelming. It is the job of IPR`s Probation Agents to help the offender work their way successfully through all of the requirements. Otherwise it can become too much and a person may become frustrated and simply give up and either decide they would rather be in jail or start drinking again.

Another element many find difficult is the financial burden of a DUI. For many of our offenders this is at least their second DUI in a lifetime. Some of the costs for a second DUI in Fremont County Circuit Court are:

·         Alcohol Education Class              $150

·         License Reinstatement Fee         $50

·         Victim Impact Panel                      $35

·         Minimum Fine                                $750

·         Supervised Probation(1 year)      $360

·         BAC/UA Testing                            $380

·         BAC/UA (if Court ordered)           $1,680

·         Substance Abuse Evaluation       $200

·         Victims Compensation Fund        $100

·         Court Costs                                    $30

·         Ignition Interlock System Install     $120

·         Ignition Interlock Calibrate            $600 ($100 each month for a 6 month contract)

Once an offender has met with all the conditions of his/her probation and is ready to leave the DSP program they are given an exit interview and are asked to give their honest opinion of the program. For many it has been at least one year and for most two years of probation and they have successfully managed to complete many of the items listed above in the program description. Below are a couple of the questions on the form and their answers.

What were your initial expectations or perception of the DSP Program?

·        I thought it was going to be a lot of hassle

·       At first I thought it was overwhelming, but once on track it wasn’t bad at all.     
 Everyone was most helpful.

·       To complete and get out of this system. I learned a lot from this.

What was most helpful about DSP program?

·         Structure

·         Everyone was most helpful in helping me get the help I need to make the proper choices  and get the help I needed

·         Stay sober and work harder

·         At first, forcing me to do the breath test kept me sober until I felt comfortable on my own.

·         Going through all the different things I had to complete

The DSP program is considered to be successful based on the 79% average compliance rate over the past five years.  IPR was recently asked by the County Attorney to take on DUI offenders from the Municipal Courts. In 2008, Fremont County had 671 DUIs were ordered for supervised probation by IPR. Fremont County benefits from the DSP program!

IPR is a non-profit organization; if you would like to donate to this much needed program just click on the Donations at the top or bottom of the page and thank you for your support.