MONTPELIER, Vt. -
Governor Peter Shumlin announced Monday, instead of putting DUI offenders in jail for a long period of time; he wants to create a DUI court.
"Repeat DUI offenders have maimed and killed innocent Vermonters for a long time," said Governor Peter Shumlin.
Shumlin has asked Windsor County State's Attorney Robert Sand to spearhead the campaign.
Sand wanted the position because he's studied these types of courts, and he says prison isn't the answer.
"Those individuals are not getting better," said Sand.
Here's how it would work.
Sand says the system would allow people to have weekly meetings with judges and go through treatment, instead of sitting in jail.
Not everyone who ends up in a state's superior court on a DUI charge will be eligible for this program.
Sand says it will only be used on repeat offenders.
Who would pay for this new court?
The federal government is giving Vermont nearly $300,000-dollars for the first three years.
But after that, lawmakers aren't sure.
Although Shumlin believes it will pay for itself by cutting down on the prison population.
"Every dollar spent to support these courts saves taxpayers 2 to 4 dollars," said Shumlin.
The program will be installed in phases and until its statewide sand says people could take part in different counties.
"So we don't need 14 specific dockets," said Sand.
Sand hopes to have the program statewide after three years.
This won't be a mandatory program.
It will be up to the judge and state's attorney if an offender should be placed in it.
