When I see inmates for the first time, I usually at least briefly touch on why they are incarcerated since it is usually relevant to their psychiatric treatment. I work with quite a few prisoners who are doing time for drunk driving. All too often when I see them for the first time, they will attempt to minimize their crime by making statements such as, “I’m ‘only’ in for drunk driving.”
Most of them want me to know that they are not violent criminals, but I no longer let them get away with minimizing drunk driving. I used to ignore such statements, but any more I simply smile and say something such as, “Well, I’m glad that nobody got killed, but don’t minimize drunk driving. You easily could have wiped out an innocent family.”
Most do not argue with this, but all too often there still seems to be a righteous indignation at having to do time for what they perceive to be a petty offense.
I think drunk driving is irresponsible and wrong regardless of how often one does it or how many times a person is arrested for it. What bothers me so much about inmates minimizing their drunk driving crimes, though, is that they are being incarcerated because they have been convicted of drunk driving at least five times! I am not talking about first-time offenders here.
According to drunk driving statistics on the MADD website, “A first time drunk driving offender on average has driven drunk 87 times prior to being arrested.” So, a conservative estimate for someone arrested for 5 DUI’s is that they have driven drunk over 400 times. In reality, especially for older offenders, the number many be much higher than that!
(Then, at the end of the appointment, “By the way, Doc, can I get “my” Seroquel or Xanax? I’m really anxious and can’t sleep…”)
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