Additional Resources for DWI and Other Serious Cases
If a driver has been convicted of an alcohol or drug related traffic or boating offense in New Jersey, then he must satisfy the requirements of the Intoxicated Driving Program (IDP) and the Intoxicated Driver Center (IDRC).
The Intoxicated Driving Program is a unit of the Division of Addiction Services of the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services. The IDRC’s are units of, or contractors to, the 21 counties. IDP schedules you for the 12- or 48- Hour IDRC program and notifies Motor Vehicle Services (MVS) when you have completed or failed to comply.
If a driver is sentenced as a first offender, he will be detained, educated, and evaluated for at least six hours each day on two consecutive days — a total of 12 hours – in the county IDRC facility. If the driver is sentenced as a second offender and he is not sentenced to jail or inpatient treatment, he will be detained, educated and evaluated during a period of 48 consecutive hours in a regional facility.
If a driver is sentenced as a third offender, then the municipal court may sentence the driver to jail or to an inpatient alcoholism treatment program or both. Nonetheless, the IDP will schedule the driver to appear at the 12 hour IDRC for a follow-up evaluation. The driver may also be required to participate in additional treatment or self help. In all cases you must satisfy the program, fee and treatment requirements of IDP/IDRC before any type of driver’s license is restored.
The Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) will also send the driver a notice confirming your license suspension, and they will also bill the driver $100 for an attendance fee, $200 for a first offender fee, and a $100 for the restoration fee. If the driver is referred to a treatment program then he is also responsible for these costs.
If a driver does not live in New Jersey, then he/she still will have to comply with the program requirements. The driving privilege restoration and IDP fees still must be paid to Motor Vehicle Services. If you live within driving distance of an IDRC in New Jersey, then you will be scheduled to appear there. If not, you will be given an opportunity to satisfy the requirements in your home state.
If you fail to appear at the IDRC or if you do not satisfactorily complete a prescribed treatment or self-help program, or pay the fees on time, your license suspension will be extended, and you may also be jailed two days for non-compliance. The IDP/IDRC program completion will still be required.
What happens at the IRDC?
The driver will have to pay the IDRC a program fee and also complete a questionnaire. The driver will attend a series of educational sessions and discussions about DWI and the effects of drinking and driving. Most often, the drivers will have to watch numerous videotapes of bad accidents involving DWI. The driver will also meet with a counselor for their own personal evaluative interview.
The education program, which is part of the 12 and 48 hour IDRC, contains information on social and problem drinking, stages of alcoholism, the family and other relationships, alcohol and drugs and their effects on driving ability, and the New Jersey Intoxicated Driving Law.
After the education program, the driver may be referred to a treatment program or self-help group for alcohol or drug problems. If the driver is referred to treatment, it will be for a minimum of 16 weeks. The IDRC may require monitored treatment or self-help group attendance for a maximum of one year. You must complete treatment as part of your sentence.
A person’s driving privilege will only be restored when they have served all court- and MVC-imposed suspensions and if they are in compliance with all of the Intoxicated Driving Program and Intoxicated Driver Resource Center requirements.
INTOXICATED DRIVER RESOURCE CENTER – FAQ’S
1. How does the program apply to me?
If you have been convicted of an alcohol drug-related traffic or boating offense in New Jersey, then you must satisfy the requirements of the Intoxicated Driving Program (IDP) and the Intoxicated Driving Center (IDRC). These programs have two purposes; (1) to make our highways and waterways safer by educating drivers and boat operators about alcohol, drugs and their relation to motor vehicle and boating safety; and (2) to identify and treat those who need treatment for an alcohol or drug problem.
2. What program must I attend, and where is it?
If you are sentenced as a first offender, you will be detained, educated and evaluated for at least six hours each day on two consecutive days – a total of 12 hours – in your county IDRC. If you are sentenced as a second offender and not sentenced to jail or inpatient treatment, you will be detained, educated and evaluated during a period of 48 consecutive hours in a regional facility.
If you are sentenced as a third offender, then the court may sentence you to jail or to an inpatient alcoholism treatment program or both. IDP will schedule you to appear at the 12-hour IDRC to follow up. You may be required to participate in additional treatment or self help. In all cases you must satisfy the program, fee and treatment requirements of IDP/IDRC before your license is restored.
3. How much does it cost?
Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) will send you a notice confirming your license suspension and will bill you $100 for the attendance fee, $230 for a first offender fee, and $100 for a license restoration fee. There is also a per diem fee of $75 per day for a first time offender, and $100 per day for a second time offender. If you are referred to a treatment program you are also responsible for those costs.
If you are a second time offender the fees are $100 for the attendance fee, $230 for the second offender fee, and $100 for the restoration fee.
4. If I don’t live in New Jersey must I still comply?
Yes. The driving privilege restoration and IDP fees $200 still must be paid to Motor Vehicle Services. If you live within driving distance of an IDRC in New Jersey, you will be scheduled to appear there. If not you will be given an opportunity to satisfy the requirements in you home state.
5. What if I don’t participate?
If you fail to appear at the IDRC or do not satisfactorily complete a prescribed treatment or self-help program, or pay the fees on time, your license suspension will be extended or reimposed, and you may also be jailed two days for non-compliance. IDP/IDRC program completion will still be required.
6. Can I reschedule my IDRC appointment?
There are four justifications that the IDRC will accept for the purpose of of rescheduling an appointment. These include;
a. Health emergency, either personal or family;
b. Death in the family withing 10 days prior to the scheduled appointment;
c. A documented emergency;
d. A family emergency.
Each of these excuses must be supported by appropriate documentation, such as a doctor’s note, obituary notice or a letter from an employer. Persons who fail to attend the IDRC without having been excused are deemed to be in a non-compliance and will be referred to the original sentencing court and the Motor Vehicle Commission for appropriate action. N.J.A.C. 8:66-A.3.3(c).
7. What happens at the IDRC?
You will pay the IDRC program fee and complete a questionnaire. You will attend a series of educational sessions and discussions. You will meet with a counselor for a personal evaluation interview.
During the period of detainment or incarceration at the IDRC, the program staff will conduct an extensive screening and evaluation of the defendant. The purpose of the IDRC screening is to identify those persons who may be drug or alcohol abusers or who need a structured intervention into their alcohol or drug use use. Those persons deemed to be in need of treatment will then be referred to a variety of agencies and facilities for this purposes. A referral for treatment or for further evaluation will take into consideration the following facts;
a. Whether the defendant is a repeat offender;
b. Whether the defendant’s BAC level was 0.15% or higher at the time of the arrest;
c. An IDRC staff counselor’s analysis of answers recorded on an evaluation document based upon the definition of a drug or alcohol abuser;
d. Any prior outpatient or inpatient treatment for alcohol or drug abuse;
e. Any prior self-help group attendance for alcohol or drgu abuse programs;
f. A driving history that reflects convictions for reckless driving, careless driving, persistent moving violations or involvement in motor vehicle or boating accidents;
g. IDRC counselor interview and observations;
h. Information from outside sources, such as family, physicians and treatment facilities;
i. Age of defendant.
8. What does the education program do?
The education program, which is part of the 12- and 48- hour IDRC, contains information on social and problem drinking, stages of alcoholism, the family and other relationships, alcohol and drugs and their effects on driving ability, and the New Jersey Intoxicated Driving Law.
8. What happens after I have been detained and evaluated?
You may be referred to a treatment program or self-help group for alcohol or drug problems. If you are referred to treatment, it will be for a minimum of 16 weeks. The IDRC may require monitored treatment or self-help group attendants for a maximum of one year. You must complete treatment as part of your sentence.
9. Can the IDRC recommend that the DWI defendant receive additional drug and alcohol abuse rehabilitative treatment?
Based upon the screening and evaluation, and the recommendation of the IDRC counselor, the defendant may be referred for additional alcohol and rehab treatment. The IDRC counselor will formulate a treatment plan for the defendant. There are five potential courses that a treatment referral can take. These include the following;
a. No additional treatment is required. If a counselor determines that based upon the IDRC screening and evaluation that no treatment referral is necessary, then the defendant’s completion of the 12 to 48 IDRC will be sufficient.
b. Outpatient treatment is appropriate for defendants who are alcohol or drug abusers. The minimum length of treatment for an outpatient program is 16 sessions of at least one session per week of one hour’s duration. The maximum period of treatment is one year.
c. Inpatient treatment is appropriate for defendants who are alcohol or drug abusers.
d. Intensive outpatient treatment is appropriate for defendants who meet the criteria for inpatient treatment.
e. Self-help program such as Alcoholics Anonymous are appropriate for defendants shown such a defendant has been in the self-help group for a minimum of three months and is currently active int eh program.
10. What about my driver’s license?
Your driving privilege will be restored when you have served all court- and MVS-imposed suspensions and if you are in compliance with all Intoxicated Driving Program and Intoxicated Driver Resource Center requirements.
10. What is the IDP/IDRC?
The Intoxicated Driving Program is a unit of the Division of Addiction Services of the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services. The IDRC’s are units of, or contractors to, the 21 counties. The IDP schedules you for the 12-or 48-hour IDRC program and notifies Motor Vehicle Services (MVS) when you have completed or failed to comply. IDP staff work with the IDRC’s to insure that you are treated fairly under the law.
For more information
Write to:
Intoxicated Driving Program
P.O. Box 365, Trenton
New Jersey 08625-0365.
Or view the MVC website.
