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Editor: Bob Battle
Profession: DUI Defense Lawyer

Category: DUI DUIrony

New Year's 2008 may be the first alcohol-free celebration ever for "Sheree," a 27-year-old recovering alcoholic living in Las Vegas.

The Nevada resident sustained a second DUI in 2006 and is fortunate to be living after her blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) reading of .35. "It was very, very high," she said. "I was close to comatose," Sheree told KLAS-TV, the CBS affiliate in Las Vegas.

Now, there's no way she will drink without being arrested. Reason is, she's wearing an ankle monitor known as Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitor (SCRAM). It is shackled to the ankle of DUI offenders as determined in sentencing by the courts.

Developed and trademarked by Alcohol Monitoring Systems (AMS), BAC readings from SCRAM are transmitted to a company data base 24 hours a day. Since 2003, courts in 43 states have administered the SCRAM device within sentencing guidelines. Thrity-two thousand offenders currently wear the device. It remains the only commercially available continuous transdermal alcohol monitoring technology, according to the AMS web site.

In Sheree's case, the judge gave her a choice -- six months in jail or wear the ankle monitor. "It's a visual reminder every day," said Sheree, who opted for the monitor after a night in jail. "It's a little vibration every hour," she said. "I know that if I drink, I'll go back to jail."

Monitor Removes "Dependance" from Equation

The ankle monitor sends "tele-reports" through a modem in her telephone line to an AMS computer. The device measures the BAC in bodily perspiration. The SCRAM sweat sensors determine if a person has sipped alcohol and will immediately inform local police and the court.

Sheree is approaching her one-year abstinence anniversary. She's worn SCRAM for three weeks and is taking no chances. "The bracelet is letting the court know I'm sober," she said.

Sixty-six DUI defendants in Clark County, Nevada have been required to wear SCRAM, which costs $100 to rent and $12 a day. In Las Vegas, the compliance rate is high according to KLAS but the station reported some offenders tampered with the device. However, AMS says offenders are always caught.

"Every hour, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, SCRAM takes readings," said Aaron Fleisher, AMS spokesman.