Richard had an exceedingly hard time keeping a job. Indeed, because of his lethargy and lack of drive, he was out of work far more regularly than he was in work. And when he did secure a job, he had an exceptionally hard time getting to work on time, he usually got poor performance reviews, and he called off sick so often that he typically got fired just a few weeks after he started working.

To no one's surprise, one of the results of Richard's poor work record was the fact that he was just about flat broke almost on a daily basis. Regardless of Richard's less than acceptable work track record and financial misconduct, however, by hook or by crook he made it a point to drink in an irresponsible and hazardous manner on a day-to-day basis.

So it came as no big shock when Richard got a fourth DUI. When he went before the court, the judge clearly stated to Richard that his alcohol-related behavior was irresponsible and, consequently, he was going to sentence Richard to serve ten months locked up in jail.

During his time behind bars, Richard was expected to learn more about alcohol abuse facts such as alcohol related outcomes and alcohol deaths, about the negative outcomes of abusive drinking, and he was required to get alcohol counseling. The magistrate accentuated the fact that unless Richard receives professional alcohol therapy and learns how to live an alcohol-free life, he will more likely than not be spending a considerable amount of time in jail.

Richard stated that he comprehended what the magistrate was saying but he still asserted that incarceration was not the most productive punishment. The judge saw things in an entirely different way and proclaimed that it was his responsibility to keep alcohol dependent people off the streets who drink and drive and who get arrested for multiple DWIs. To substantiate this perspective, the magistrate listed some venerable, thoroughly evaluated alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse statistics that underlined some of the destructive effects that are associated with abusive and excessive drinking such as alcohol related deaths.

Even though Richard knew that he drank abusively, he never felt that he was an alcoholic. So it was a big bombshell when Richard began experiencing chronic alcoholism symptoms and alcohol withdrawal symptoms approximately three-and-a-half hours after getting locked up in the county jail.

To deal with his symptoms of alcohol withdrawal in a harm free manner, Richard was taken to a drug and alcohol treatment facility for alcohol detox and then returned to jail. While in jail Richard got alcohol counseling but due to the fact that he received this rehabilitation as something that was forced upon him, he was unsuccessful in taking ownership of his abusive drinking.

When his time in the municipal jail was completed, the judge without uncertainty announced to Richard that he would be under strict scrutiny and would be mandated to take periodic blood alcohol tests. After hearing how Richard neglected to take ownership of his drinking circumstances and how he unwillingly followed the rehabilitation policy and procedures while behind bars, the judge knew that it was simply a matter of time before he would be seeing Richard once again in court about his hazardous and abusive drinking behavior.

As the magistrate reflected on Richard's circumstance, he couldn't help but think about how some people never "get it" and learn how to live in an effective and accountable manner.


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