Posted on December 00, 0000 in Criminal Defense

Previously, we began looking at the problem of increased opioid abuse across the country and here in Wisconsin. Along with the surge in prescription drug abuse, one of the positive developments has been that lawmakers have taken an approach to the problem which is not merely punitive, but aimed at addressing the addiction itself.

For instance, Rep. John Nygren of Marinette was successful in passing measures back in 2014 which address the problem with education, increased access to a drug which counteracts the effects of heroin overdose, immunity for those who report suspected heroin overdose or transport an overdose patient to the hospital, and allowing municipalities to hold prescription drug collection drives and require identification to obtain prescription narcotics.

Other creative solutions to the problem are coming from the federal government. One example is the Madison Police Department’s participation in a federal grant program which involves “smart policing” in dealing with drug users. Under the pilot program, known as the Madison Addiction Recovery Initiative, nonviolent drug offenders are given the option to receive treatment instead of going through the criminal process.

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 Posted on December 00, 0000 in OWI

It's only natural for people to go out to bars, restaurants and parties and needing to get home when the night is done. However, if they've been consuming alcohol, they might be too drunk to drive and not even realize it. Taking to the roads while drunk is unlawful, dangerous and sometimes difficult for drivers to avoid when they're not thinking clearly.

Self-driving cars, however, would eliminate the human element that's to blame for this behavior. The other benefit of self-driving cars is the fact that they would reduce the need for police to go out patrolling for operating while intoxicated (OWI) drivers, and they would eliminate the many harsh consequences of a drunk driving conviction, which include:

• Losing your license and needing to pay large fines.
• The risk of imprisonment and jail time.
• The risk of being charged with negligent homicide or OWI causing injury.
• The loss of one's license for a year and having one's vehicle impounded for refusing to take a breath alcohol concentration (BAC) Breathalyzer test.

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 Posted on December 00, 0000 in Drug Charges

Drug possession charges are difficult for some defendants to face because they force them to look at what they've been doing with their lives. At this point, some may realize that their addiction must be addressed. Unfortunately, this doesn't mean that the court is going to just drop the charges.

There is a chance that you might be able to get help for your addiction even though you are facing criminal charges. Drug court is one option that enables you to get help for your addiction while still remaining accountable to the court. If you find that you need inpatient treatment, be sure that you work with the court so that you don't end up missing hearings due to being in a treatment facility.

The type of drug to which you are addicted can have an impact on what type of treatment you need. You might not need intensive care if you are addicted to a drug that isn't associated with severe withdrawal symptoms. We know that it might be a tough road ahead, but this is why most treatment paths include taking things day by day.

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