Character References for Driving Under the
Influence of Alcohol
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In many instances, it is admirable to give
people a second chance. At times, however, character
references for driving under the influence of alcohol are needed
before a second chance is given.
Applicants to the Coast Guard Who Have
Received a DUI
If applicants to
the Coast Guard have received alcohol related convictions such as a
DWI or DUI, the person evaluating the application has
to consider the following:
- The number and severity of the convictions
- The recency of the convictions
- Evidence of rehabilitation or reform
The following represent acceptable evidence of rehabilitation or
reform:
- Successful completion of an alcohol
abuse education or treatment program
- Long-term active therapy in organizations such as Alcoholics
Anonymous
- Positive character references from responsible individuals who
can verify the length of time the applicant has been sober and
reliable and who can describe the applicant's change in behavior
since the driving offenses occurred.
A similar concept exists in certain parts of the world regarding
driving under
the influence. The idea here is that a person who is
appearing before a judge or jury can help his or her case by
providing character references from people he or she knows well and
who can state how the defendant's offense is "out of
character."

Character References for Driving Under the
Influence of Alcohol in Canada
In fact, there's actually a documented guide on how a person
should write a character reference letter for use in criminal
cases, such as DUIs, in Canada.
If, for instance, a person is pleading guilty or has been found
guilty of a criminal offence in Canada, his or her lawyer may
request 5 or 6 character references from people who know the
defendant's overall character and reputation in the community.
The objective in obtaining these character references is to
convince the Judge, jury, or prosecutor that the defendant has a
reputation of being a good citizen in the community, that the
defendant feels great remorse for the offense, and the offense will
never be repeated.
The use of character references for driving under the influence
of alcohol even applies to individuals who apply for a Georgia Real
Estate License!
| Alcoholism statistics in the
United States remain staggering. There are approximately 14 million
people in the country addicted to alcohol and millions more who
display symptoms of abuse, including binge drinking. Sadly, a
reported 2.6 million binge drinkers in 2002 were between the ages
of 12 and 17. |
Character References for Driving Under the
Influence of Alcohol: Conclusion
Giving people a second change after receiving a DUI seem
reasonable --only if the person can verify, through others,
that he or she realizes the error of his or her ways and has
taken steps to correct the problem. In other words,
character references for driving under the influence of
alcohol are sometimes needed before a "second chance" is
given.
Concerning something as serious as "driving under the
influence," requiring character references before a second chance
is given seems to make a lot of sense.

| Studies have shown that
inpatient detoxification programs are more effective and
longer-lasting than outpatient detox programs. The important issue
here, however, is the following: the more severe the
alcohol-related withdrawal symptoms, the more likely that inpatient
detox programs should be used. |
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| The highest rates of current and
past year heavy alcohol use are reported by workers in the
following occupations: construction, food preparation and
waiters/waitresses, along with auto mechanics, vehicle repairers,
light truck drivers and laborers. |
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