# 17 DUI convictions, life in prison? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 8, 2021, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-dui-convictions-life-in-prison/952181 "2021-10-08T22:31:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2021, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-dui-convictions-life-in-prison/952181/106 "2021-10-11T10:05:52Z")
> [@K2500](#): > > They do have ankle monitors that can detect alcohol consumption. If this has any bearing I have no idea. I’m curious how that works. > [@pkbites](#): > > Not all bracelets use GPS so it’s not so simple to track them down. They don’t put the monitor on the ankle where you are? I’ve never heard of one on the wrist. I’d think it’d be too big and heavy but battery technology has really improved… ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2021, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-dui-convictions-life-in-prison/952181/107 "2021-10-11T11:15:45Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > They don’t put the monitor on the ankle where you are? I’ve never heard of one on the wrist. I’d think it’d be too big and heavy but battery technology has really improved We recently got our dogs Fi Collars. They are the size of regular dog collars, but are WiFi equipped. They are paired with base stations and our phones. The dogs have a “safe zone” I’ve set. We get notifications for any time they leave the zone. Yesterday we took Kizzy to an outdoor Biergarten. My gf took her for a walk, but left her phone on the table. I got a notification, “Kizzy is at 143 XYZ Street in New Kensington without an owner!” ETA: battery life is great, roughly a month between charges ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2021, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-dui-convictions-life-in-prison/952181/108 "2021-10-11T12:20:08Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > He needs help, not prison. It seems he’s far more personality disordered than mentally ill. PDs does NOT respond to treatment unless the patient is interested in changing. If the patient demonstrates he’s not interested in help or treatment (as this guy has), then they’re best left to the criminal justice system, NOT the health care system. Besides, he’d have far more opportunities for hobby, recreation, work, and socialization in a minimum or medium security prison that he would in a mental institution. I’ve worked in both, and I know which I’d pick if forced to choose which to live in. Pronouncing criminal behavior to be a “mental illness” serves no one well. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2021, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-dui-convictions-life-in-prison/952181/109 "2021-10-11T12:32:17Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Besides, he’d have far more opportunities for hobby, recreation, work, and socialization in a minimum or medium security prison that he would in a mental institution. I’ve worked in both, and I know which I’d pick if forced to choose which to live in. Thanks for that info. That would have been my guess, but it’s good to know. And unless he’s personally violent or something, a minimum security prison should be fine. So long as he’s kept away from autos he’s probably not dangerous to anyone. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2021, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-dui-convictions-life-in-prison/952181/110 "2021-10-11T13:38:11Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > They don’t put the monitor on the ankle where you are? Yes. It’s still referred to as a bracelet around here. ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2021, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-dui-convictions-life-in-prison/952181/111 "2021-10-11T14:59:27Z")
Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. Fourth Amendment right against warrantless searches, are both significantly curtailed by current DUI jurisprudence. There was a famous lawyer who focused a lot on this, and wrote a really long (and good) article about the history of the “DUI exceptions” to the U.S. Constitution. I used to remember his name, but no longer do. What’s odd is that a huge number of law firms host a copy of his unattributed article on their website (such lax respect for copyright seems odd for law firms, but in a Google search literally 10+ readily are found hosting the article), with that in mind here is the article (without attribution to the original author), if I scrounge up the original lawyer’s name I’ll post it (he was also big on cable TV in the 90s and early 2000s, he did a lot of appearances where he would argue with MADD types and etc.): [The DUI Exception (duicentral.com)](https://www.duicentral.com/dui/the-dui-exception/) ---
**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2021, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-dui-convictions-life-in-prison/952181/112 "2021-10-11T15:10:44Z")
25-30 years ago my brother was living in Vermont. He racked up 13 DUIs and did prison time with mandatory counseling. I don’t know how long he was in prison, but I’m thinking it was less than a year. He never stopped drinking. He never stopped driving even when he didn’t have a license. I’m sure he still drove while high. He died in 2014 of liver cancer… ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2021, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-dui-convictions-life-in-prison/952181/113 "2021-10-11T15:25:43Z")
> [@Martin\_Hyde](#): > > There was a famous lawyer who focused a lot on this, and wrote a really long (and good) article about the history of the “DUI exceptions” to the U.S. Constitution. I used to remember his name, but no longer do. What’s odd is that a huge number of law firms host a copy of his unattributed article on their website (such lax respect for copyright seems odd for law firms, but in a Google search literally 10+ readily are found hosting the article), with that in mind here is the article (without attribution to the original author), if I scrounge up the original lawyer’s name I’ll post it Lawrence Eric Taylor? ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2021, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-dui-convictions-life-in-prison/952181/114 "2021-10-11T17:34:26Z")
Yep, that looks like him. ---
**Author:** ![K2500](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f6c823/32.png) [@K2500](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K2500)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2021, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-dui-convictions-life-in-prison/952181/115 "2021-10-11T19:42:41Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > I’m curious how that works. I think they’re called SCRAM bracelets, and I am also curious. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2021, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-dui-convictions-life-in-prison/952181/116 "2021-10-17T18:25:55Z")
UPDATE: Benson has been sentenced to 7 years minus time served. > **[75-year-old Seattle man sentenced after 19 DUI convictions](https://www.king5.com/article/news/crime/75-year-old-seattle-man-sentenced-after-19-dui-convictions/281-cfa820fa-37c7-4cd6-b331-f3d6d23a41dc)** > > Dwight Benson has not had a valid driver's license since 1999. ---
**Author:** ![nelliebly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nelliebly/32/5422_2.png) [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2021, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-dui-convictions-life-in-prison/952181/118 "2021-10-18T03:42:47Z")
So the article says it’s actually NINETEEN, not 17, DUI convictions. And he’ll be out and free to drink and drive in a few years. Comforting. 🙄 ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2021, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-dui-convictions-life-in-prison/952181/119 "2021-10-18T05:11:40Z")
From the article, > [KING 5 previously reported](https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle-man-convicted-of-17th-driving-under-influence-charge/281-79567427-a6c4-4f8f-81d9-8ff402763211) Benson had 17 DUI-related convictions. On Friday, a bailiff to Judge Steiner said Benson’s most recent case makes 19 DUI convictions. So he’s been convicted of 19 charges, but it appears as though this case included 2 convictions. So how many separate incidents were there? I’d assume the crash that he had would involve more than one charge for that incident. Seems like lazy reporting. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2021, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-dui-convictions-life-in-prison/952181/120 "2021-10-18T23:42:25Z")
Neither does punishment or separation from society, strictly speaking. Although admittedly, “exile” is harder to pull off these days than it used to be. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2021, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-dui-convictions-life-in-prison/952181/121 "2021-10-19T17:39:08Z")
True, punishment can be in other ways. But house arrest would only be separation from society if it included removal of all phones, computers etc, and had guards. It’d be a far pleasanter prison but it’d still be prison. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2021, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-dui-convictions-life-in-prison/952181/122 "2021-10-19T17:53:48Z")
I don’t think most people would object to him having contact with society as long as he’s not driving drunk yet again. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2021, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-dui-convictions-life-in-prison/952181/123 "2021-10-19T17:59:29Z")
As long as his contact with his society is through the inmate telephone and mail system (monitored) and the prison visiting room, I’m cool with that. But he’s earned his coming years in the slammer, and I (who work in a prison and advocate strenuously for alternatives to incarceration) don’t think he deserves any sort of leniency at this point. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2021, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-dui-convictions-life-in-prison/952181/124 "2021-10-19T17:59:46Z")
I meant in general, not just for him. He’d definitely need the guards. It’s as if he’s addicted to drink-driving rather than just drinking. Maybe he’s one of those guys who’s become institutionalised and can’t cope on the outside, so uses this as a relatively harmless (if he gets caught quickly) way of going back in. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2021, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-dui-convictions-life-in-prison/952181/125 "2021-10-19T18:18:51Z")
This may be a GQ question, but I wonder if alcohol is indeed something one can learn to drive safely with. I ask because many years ago, I had a friend who drove drunk and commented to me that it was OK because he had a lot of …_ **practice** _ driving drunk. Can you really get yourself so accustomed that you have no hampering of your eye-hand-decision coordination? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2021, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-dui-convictions-life-in-prison/952181/126 "2021-10-19T18:30:20Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > I had a friend who drove drunk and commented to me that it was OK because he had a lot of … _ **practice** _ driving drunk. Can you really get yourself so accustomed that you have no hampering of your eye-hand-decision coordination? No. Claims to the contrary are typical of the Dunning-Krueger effect, i.e. “incompetent and unaware of it”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-dui-convictions-life-in-prison/952181.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/17-dui-convictions-life-in-prison/952181.md?page=7)