Reducing Your OWI Sentence With the Wisconsin Safe Streets Option

 Posted on September 15, 2020 in DUI/OWI

Drunk driving is taken seriously in the United States, with harsh penalties for a conviction. A conviction for operating while intoxicated (OWI) can result in serious consequences with long-term implications, especially if you already have a prior conviction. In Wisconsin, second-time offenders can face up to six months in jail, over $1,000 in fines, and a revoked driver’s license for up to 18 months, and the penalties only grow for additional offenses. However, even if you are convicted for a repeat offense, you may be able to reduce your sentence through Wisconsin’s Safe Streets option.

What Is Wisconsin’s Safe Streets Option?

The Safe Streets option is available in several Wisconsin counties, including Waukesha, Milwaukee, Jefferson, Walworth, Dodge, and Racine. Its purpose is to help non-violent offenders with alcohol and drug issues achieve sobriety by offering reduced jail sentences for those who successfully complete an alcohol or drug treatment program as part of their probation. The Safe Streets option can only be used once in a person’s lifetime, but it can make a significant difference if you are facing conviction for one of the following offenses:

• Causing injury while OWI, with no prior OWI conviction - With the Safe Streets option, your minimum jail sentence can be reduced from 30 days to 15 days.

• A second OWI offense within 10 years of the first conviction - With the Safe Streets option, your maximum jail sentence can be reduced from six months to as little as seven days.

• A third OWI offense - In this case, your minimum jail sentence can be reduced from 45 days to 14 days.

• A fourth OWI offense - If you have not been convicted of OWI within the past five years, the Safe Streets option can reduce your minimum jail sentence from 60 days to 29 days.

Offenders with four or more prior OWI convictions are ineligible for the Safe Streets option, as are those convicted of homicide or great bodily harm while OWI and those with aggravating factors such as the presence of a passenger under the age of 16.

It is important to note that an experienced OWI defense attorney may be able to help you avoid a conviction altogether or reduce your sentence through a plea deal. Your attorney can advise you as to whether one of these alternatives is possible, or whether the Safe Streets program is your best option.

Contact a Waukesha County Criminal Defense Lawyer

At Bucher Law Group, LLC, we are committed to providing the best possible defense for anyone facing OWI charges, no matter the severity. We strive to achieve a resolution that saves you from unnecessary hardship and gives you the opportunity to safely return to the road and work toward a better life in the future. Call today to request a free consultation from our diligent Milwaukee County OWI defense attorneys at 262-303-4916. 

Sources:

https://wisconsindot.gov/Documents/safety/education/drunk-drv/owi-penchrt.pdf

https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/346/x/65

https://cjcc.doj.wi.gov/county/winnebago-county/adult-drug-court?page=4