 VIRGINIA:
Alcohol Safety Action Program
General Information:
 Following
conviction, all offenders receive a mandatory alcohol
assessment/evaluation to determine the nature and extent
of their alcohol problems. The cost ranges from $250 -
$350 and is paid by the offender.
The
assessment is conducted either pre-trial or
post-sentencing. The court does not take the results of
the assessment into consideration in final sentencing.
Assessments
are conducted by a state administrative agency specialist.
Treatment
for high BAC and repeat offenders is mandatory. All
offenders are required to attend alcohol education or
treatment as recommended by the assessment.
Offenders
failing to comply with the terms of their program are not
eligible for license reinstatement and may be returned to
the court for further action.
Virginia
does not have dedicated detention and treatment facilities
that target the hardcore drunk driver.
Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program (VASAP):
There are 24 local alcohol safety action programs that
make up VASAP. A Commission, comprised of 12 members with
a broad range of knowledge and experience, formulates and
maintain standards to be observed by local ASAPs,
periodically evaluating them to ensure they are servicing
their communities in an effective, efficient manner.
VASAP provides a network of probationary,
administrative, case management, and client services that
is readily adaptable and expandable to meet local and
state needs. It works with local employee assistance
programs in combating the problems of substance abuse,
provides funds for local law enforcement training and
assistance in grant funding requests, and offers attorneys
and judges knowledge and a wider variety of intervention
programs to dispose of DUI/DUID cases in a manner
appropriate to both community and offender needs.
VASAP is the only statewide court-related DUI/DUID
intervention program in the nation, diverting thousands of
offenders annually from costly incarceration in local
jails, thus realizing substantial savings to the
commonwealth. Offenders placed on probation by the court
are given a restricted license and ordered to report to
their local ASAP within 15 days. There, a case manager
classifies the offender to determine the appropriate
education and/or treatment services. The offender pays a
fee determined by program assignment. The case manager
supervises each case to ensure that probation requirements
are fulfilled.
VASAP is completely funded by offender fees and
government grants. Many studies on a national basis have
found that the ASAP program is extremely cost-effective as
well as extremely successful.
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1800 DUI Laws
