> So were you ordered into a program because of the
> alcohol bust?
Yes. A DUI. I was guilty. I would not have gotten the jail time except that I was .22 -- pretty high.
Whether I was "ordered into" a program is not clear to me. This is a long story. For now, I will say that "they" offered me several very good programs, and I have declined them. They didn't like that.
For me, quitting drinking is something I think I must do on my own. I want to, but it isn't something that I can get to because of a program I required to attend.
Still, what got me stopped was expired stickers on my car. This relates (again) to me trying to quit drinking. Things do get complicated.
> Can you clean your record when you complete a program?
I don't know. Virgina makes it complicated. They want you to do all kinds of things.
> Did you get to read, watch TV or what?
None of that. I hallucinated.
That may sound odd, but there was not much else to do. I imagined things. I got pretty good at it.
This was okay at first, but then it got a little weird. I'm not sure I want to wade back into that pond.
> Did they offer you early release if you signed up for
> one of the experimental medical programs?
Not like that. They cut one day off my jail sentenace for every day I was a "good boy". A ten day sentence became five.
It really was not all that bad. Still, I don't recommend it.
Chances are (great) that other alcohol related offenses will follow in time.
Not necessarily so, but a very great chance.
Was this the FIRST time you have ever driven after drinking?
Ever got in a fist fight while drinking?
Ever have lost time (that wasn't a result of alien abduction)?
Ever missed time from work because of drinking?
I know you've probably heard this stuff before - and if none of it applies to you - fine.
But if there's any question in your mind - you might save your family a ton of heartache in the future by at least inquiring of maybe AA or something.
(I know this because I have lived this).
They want you in any program, even one that you may not like because you are then at least doing something that at least makes you mindful those moments of the problem with drinking too much.
I guess they figure if you could handle it, you would have, so that is perhaps why they didn't like you to avoid a program.
You might see if it expunges your record to go to one.
It would be ashame if you could have cleared up your record, but failed to do so because of a lack of knowledge regarding these programs and the courts.
I'm not saying I KNOW anything, just that you should review your options fully before you jump in any one direction.