Have you been ordered to take a Risk Reduction class in Hall County? If so, then you've come to the right place. DUI Alcohol or Drug Risk Reduction Programs, known also as DUI School, are managed by the Department of Driver Services (DDS) everywhere throughout Georgia. All programs have the same content or curriculum; all are set for 20 hours; and all cost the same ($355, including study guide, assessment, and class). All programs are also divided into two parts: (1) a Needs Assessment; and (2) the Class(es). Below is useful information about DUI Schools in Georgia. You may be happy to learn after reviewing this information that the class, though required for most of you, can be quite useful if you allow it.

DUI School: Who is Required to attend?

Anyone who has been ordered by a court in Georgia to attend a DUI School must attend a DUI School in accordance with the order. Most court-ordered attendees are ordered after a conviction of alcohol and/or drug-related offenses, including driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (DUI), possession of illegal drugs, underage possession of alcohol while operating a motor vehicle, or boating under the influence (BUI). Even if your alcohol or drug-related offense was reduced, you may still be ordered to attend a DUI School.

DUI School: Criminal Defense Strategy

A good strategy for a defense is to be proactive. Attending a DUI School and successfully completing it before trial can be a useful technique by you and your lawyer. Some benefits to this strategy include:

• Leverage for Negotiations. Completion, before it's court-ordered, can give your DUI attorney leverage in negotiations with the State about a dismissal, plea deal, or lesser charge.
• Show of Responsibility. Completion, before it's court-ordered, can demonstrate responsibility on your part, as if to say you acknowledge you have an alcohol or drug problem and are willing to take action about it, which again is another form of leverage your defense attorney can use.
• Sentence Reduction. Completion, before it's court-ordered, is one less penalty that could be tacked on to your sentence -- if sentenced because your attorney may have already been able to get the charge dismissed or reduced.

A DWI defense lawyer -- one who is both experienced and strategic -- will want to employ each and every strategy that works in your favor, and sometimes, attending a DUI School before it's ever required by a court can indeed work wonders for your defense.

DUI School: Finding One in Hall County, GA

Finding a DUI School can be daunting if you do not know where to look. The Department of Driver Services, however, updates its database on DUI schools regularly and allows you to search for a school by city or county. In Hall County, you have options when it comes to finding a DUI School.

# 1 A 1/Gainesville DUI & Defensive Driving School	644 Jesse Jewell Parkway Gainesville, GA, 30501	(770) 534-8242
Absolute DUI & Defensive Driving	4516 McEver Rd, Ste B Oakwood, GA, 30566	(678) 450-8099
DUI and Defensive Driving of Midtown	536A Bradford Street Gainesville, GA, 30501	(770) 536-6683
FB Driving School, Inc	4875 Hog Mountain Road Flowery Branch, GA, 30542	(770) 965-1007
Freedom Driving School, LLC	4347 Mundy Mill Road, Suite A-2 Oakwood, GA, 30566	470-892-6556
Gainesville DUI & Defensive Driving School	840 Main Street Gainesville, GA, 30501	(770) 534-2664

Even if you live in Hall County, you do not have to attend a class in Hall County. DUI Schools are located in hundreds of areas throughout the state. The only caveat is: regardless which school you attend, it must be a certified DUI School by the Department of Driver Services.

If for whatever reason, you took a DUI class outside of Georgia, some of those certificates of completion are also transferable. Guidelines to determine if your certificate qualifies for a transfer to Georgia are provided by the Department of Driver Services.

Part I: The Needs Assessment

A DUI School Needs Assessment is required before attending a DUI School program. It must be taken at the school prior to commencing class. The assessment consists of 130 questions that inquire into your history and current use of alcohol or drugs, your views on alcohol and drug use, and your family history. The Assessment, once taken, is good only for one year. It is also transferable from the DUI School location where you took the Needs Assessment test to any other certified location in Georgia.

Part II: The Course

Each of the specific schools listed above has its own schedule of classes, some are evening classes while others are weekend day classes. All classes are taken in-person; there are no online schools. The primary focus of the class is its intervention program. In Georgia, PRIME for Life® Intervention is the only program certified for use, and it is a copyrighted product of Prevention Research Institute, Inc.

What is PRIME for Life®?

The program is an alcohol and drug intervention program that intends to help all people of all ages and socio-economic backgrounds. It is designed to challenge common beliefs and attitudes that directly contribute to a participant's high-risk alcohol and drug use. Emphasis is a place of participants' understanding between the difference of risks they cannot change and those risks they have the power to change. The primary goal is behavior change that aims to prevent alcohol or drug problems and/or impairment that could lead to poor choices, e.g., drinking and getting behind a wheel.

Why PRIME for Life®?

In Georgia, the program has proven to produce excellent results in behavior change. Emory University conducted a study after the program started in Georgia, and found those who attend a DUI School offering PRIME for Life® repeated their behavior after the program by 13.5%, while those who did not attend the class doubled that rate at 27.1%. The study by Emory was conducted for a 4 year period on the 1990s, so that data is old, but the program is the same. That said, other studies throughout the country have provided the same, if not better, results. Georgia's northern neighbor South Carolina recently conducted a study in 2015 on outcomes of PRIME for Life® classes, and the results were better than the Emory University study.

How does PRIME for Life® work?

The program's aim is simple: alter drinking and drug use behaviors. How this works, however, is much more complex. To change behaviors associating with drinking and drug use, the participant must also change his or her beliefs and attitudes. The program is based on objective, documented scientific research, and in accordance with that research was designed to strategically provide knowledge on a platform that is (1) nonjudgmental; (2) inclusive; and (3) open. These three components are necessary for sustainable outcomes. In this capacity, PRIME For Life® is a persuasion-based program that is delivered by trained instructors through interactive presentations and small group discussions.

Contact a DUI Attorney in Hall County, Georgia

A charge with a DUI offense can be a nerve-wracking experience, but reputable, award-winning Hall County DUI lawyer Richard Lawson is here to help you. He has the experience, the knowledge, and the resources to address your DUI charge and to strategize the best defense on your behalf, even if that includes attending a certified DUI School before negotiations with the State for dismissal of charges, or alternatively a plea agreement. Contact us online or by phone at 404-816-4440.