Inadequate Penalties

Inadequate Penalties

  • Submitted By: CeceeB
  • Date Submitted: 11/08/2012 8:29 PM
  • Category: Social Issues
  • Words: 458
  • Page: 2
  • Views: 135

Inadequate D.U.I. Penalties

A few years ago I heard my step mom rushing around searching for something to throw on. Later that day I found out that my dad had been arrested for driving under the influence. At the time, I knew little about drinking and driving other than it is a social issue that not only effects our community but our nation as well. But thanks to information groups like M.A.D.D., television specials and brochures I soon discovered how serious and dangerous drinking and driving is and can be. According to the Center for Disease and Prevention, drinking and driving is one of the leading causes of death and automobile accidents. And because of that many limitations and penalties have been established to help fight again drinking and driving but sadly they have proven not to be adequate enough.
Nearly two million drunk driving cases are filed annually. Years ago the penalties of drunk driving were minor. They were small fines that ranged between fifty and a hundred and fifty dollars, no jail time, and no license suspension. In recent years, our nations justice system as put in effort to crack down on those who drink and drive with heavy penalties. Now a days a person charged with driving under the influence could be sentenced up to a year in jail, be fined with tickets adding up to twenty five hundred dollars, and a suspended license. As the offenses add up penalties do also but for some reason a big chunk of our nations drivers seem to careless.
In the United States alone more people are arrested for DUI than any other criminal offense. According to the Alcohol and State Programs, over 1.6 million people are arrested for DUI versus the 1.5 million arrested for larceny and theft, and the 1.1 million arrested due to drug violations. Sadly, of those 1.6 million one third of them are repeat offenders. You would think that with the new laws established to punish drunk drivers would teach them a lesson. But many that are convicted of drinking...

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