The New Jersey Intoxicated Driving Program (IDP) includes education, screening, treatment referral, and treatment services for persons convicted of alcohol or drug driving or boating offenses. If you have plead guilty or have been convicted of driving under the influence (DUI) in New Jersey, then you have to engage in and complete this program. This program also applies to people convicted of DUI in another state but were holding a New Jersey driver’s license at the time. You also have to satisfy the requirements of the Intoxicated Driver Resource Center (IDRC). The IDRC works in conjunction with the IDP. The IDRC are units run by New Jersey’s 21 counties. Once you are part of the IDP program, you are then assigned to a specific IDRC unit where you will have to attend programs for 12 or 48 hours. New Jersey has an IDRC in each county for first-time and third-time offenders and three regional centers for second-time offenders.
Your Time in the IDRC Depends Upon the Offense
For first-offense DUI convictions, you will have to spend at least six hours each day on two consecutive days in your county’s IDRC, participating in various programs. For your second DUI, if you are not sentenced to jail or in-patient treatment, you will have to spend 48 hours at a regional IDRC facility. If you are sentenced to a 48-hour IDRC program, you will be detained, educated, and screened during a period of 48 consecutive hours in a regional facility approved by your county. For a third offense, you will be sentenced to jail for 180 days, with 90 days that can be served in an inpatient alcoholism treatment program. However, you will also have to appear at the 12-hour IDRC for follow-up.
License Suspension and Fees
The New Jersey Department of Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) will notify you of your license suspension. The whole process has a total fee of $200 that you will have to pay in order to fully complete the program. Your driving privilege will be restored when you have served all court and MVC imposed suspensions and if you are in compliance with all IDP and IDRC requirements.
What Happens if You Do Not Participate?
If you fail to participate in the program or fail to successfully complete it, then your driving privileges will remain suspended in New Jersey. This also applies to failing to pay whatever fees and fines you have. The court also has the authority to put you in jail for up to two days for non-compliance with the program.
South Jersey DUI Lawyers at The Law Offices of Christopher St. John Can Walk You Through the DUI Process and Get the Best Results for Your Case
Being arrested and charged with a DUI can be overwhelming. Your best course of action is to hire an experienced lawyer to develop a plan for you. Our South Jersey DUI lawyers at The Law Offices of Christopher St. John have decades of experience in successfully representing clients in DUI cases. Call us at 856-296-3481 or fill out our online form to schedule an initial consultation. Located in Haddonfield, New Jersey, we serve clients throughout South Jersey, including Burlington County, Camden County, Gloucester County, and Salem County.
Christopher St. John
Tess Berkowitz