Richmond DUI Classes
There are several different types of DUI education and counseling programs in Virginia, particularly in the city of Richmond. There are private counseling programs, and there are also programs that are run through the state agency, VASAP, the Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program.
If a person has been charged with a DUI, or even if they feel that they may face DUI charges in the future, it is important that they contact a Richmond DUI lawyer, who can help them find a class best suited to their needs. In the case that a person has been convicted of a DUI, Richmond DUI classes can help them find the tools to avoid a similar conviction in the future, as well as show the court that they are actively working to change their ways.
Elements of the Classes
If a person is convicted of a DUI in the city of Richmond and throughout the state of Virginia, they are required to complete the Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Programs (VASAP) program. This program can involve alcohol treatment and counseling as well as education courses.
The VASAP in Virginia or in the city of Richmond are run through the city agency, meaning the VASAP running the program would be called Richmond VASAP or Central Virginia VASAP depending on where in Virginia the program took place.
Notably, a person does not need a court order to be able to go to a Richmond DUI class or an alcohol counseling school. In fact, attorneys will generally recommend that a person enrolls in a counseling program prior to a DUI case because it will help in the mitigation of that person driving under the influence in the future.
A Richmond DUI class will typically use standard alcohol education pamphlets and information, as well as group counseling. They will also typically perform urine and drug screens as well.
Classes Not Accepted by Courts
It is important that a person understands, however, that a traffic school is not the same as a DUI education program, nor will a court accept it as such.
Additionally, there are no DUI online courses in Richmond that the courts will accept as a DUI class either. Although DUI online courses are offered in other states, the city of Richmond does not.
Group Activities
The most common DUI group therapy programs that are available typically involve group discussions and group meetings. These involve usually a counselor that leads the meeting and are used toward treatment as well as self-awareness of any alcohol or substance abuse. Counselors usually will ask individuals to become actively involved in the discussions and will typically encourage them to talk about their own experiences.
Generally, the main DUI group discussion topics involve alcohol and drug abuse, as well as how people have found themselves in the particular situations they are in or have previously been in. Additionally, the group may also discuss what sort of triggers they have for substance abuse, whether that includes alcohol or drugs, and how best to address those triggers or factors that lead people to substance abuse.