Misdemeanor offenders are required to go through the ACT program, or Assesment Course and Treatment. It’s different for felony offenders, they go through the WATCH program.
The difference, ACT is outpatient and WATCH is inpatient.
For misdemeanor offenders, treatment is only mandatory for your second or third DUI. It’s case by case for first time offenders.
A University of Montana professor interviewed convicated felons about the two programs. He found that the majority thought the ACT program didn’t work. Many of the felons indicated they never went to ACT, even though they were sentenced to do so.
Skip Rosenthal runs the ACT program in Missoula County, he says he thinks enforcement needs to be tighter.
E-Mail Story
Print Story
