Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc. [Fortune Brands, Inc.], a global leader in premium spirits, and the National Center for DWI Courts (NCDC) joined forces today to raise awareness about the effectiveness of DWI Courts in Georgia. With more than 17,000 alcohol-related traffic fatalities in the United States every year, Beam Global and NCDC have partnered together since 2007 to bring national attention to the effectiveness of DWI Courts in addressing hardcore drunk driving.
Hardcore drunk drivers are drivers with a high blood alcohol concentration of .15 and above and/or are repeat offenders. These drunk drivers are responsible for 58 percent of alcohol-related traffic fatalities and are 380 times more likely to be involved in a crash. Unfortunately, statistics demonstrate that conviction without treatment is not effective in addressing hardcore drunk driving.
The innovative DWI Court system deals with hardcore drunk driving offenders by providing long-term, ongoing accountability and rehabilitation, in addition to conviction. These courts have become the model for getting the most dangerous drunk drivers off our roads.
DWI Court judges, prosecutors and law enforcement officials assembled at the state capitol building to highlight the success of DWI Courts and their valuable contribution to the state of Georgia. NASCAR® driver and team owner, Robby Gordon, joined Beam Global in thanking Georgia judges, law enforcement and legislators for their support and to acknowledge the life-saving efforts of DWI Courts.
“Beam Global Spirits & Wine is committed to eliminating drunk driving,” said Matt Stanton, vice president of corporate affairs, Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc. “We support programs that reduce drunk driving and are committed to working with any state willing to help save lives by establishing DWI Courts. Preliminary research of Georgia DWI Courts shows that those who go through DWI Courts are 79 percent less likely than offenders who received traditional punishment to be re-arrested for a DWI charge. This is a powerful statistic and we encourage all states to join Georgia in the fight to eliminate hardcore drunk driving.”
DWI Courts Work
“DWI Courts are saving lives,” stated the Honorable Kent Lawrence, State Court of Athens-Clarke County, Athens, Georgia. “Georgia DWI Courts have proven that blending long-term treatment with the accountability, immediacy and certainty of court response is more effective than punishment alone. These courts truly promise better long-term outcomes and their success has changed the mindset of criminal justice professionals. Georgia is a powerful example of how effective these courts can be.”
“I am truly impressed with how successful DWI Courts have been in reducing drunk driving,” commented Robby Gordon who is in Atlanta for the NASCAR Pep Boys Auto 500. “I would like to offer my appreciation to Beam Global for supporting the National Center for DWI Courts and for including me in their efforts to help raise awareness for this life-saving program. I congratulate Georgia judges, law enforcement and legislators for their efforts throughout the state and encourage other states to follow Georgia’s lead.”
“We need to do all we can to keep our roads safe,” commented Robert F. Dallas, director, Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. “High-risk impaired drivers are causing the vast majority of alcohol related traffic fatalities and this issue needs to be addressed. DWI Courts make our communities safer by reducing the incidence of drunk driving. They work because we address the problem at its roots by requiring treatment and accountability in an intensive, long-term program.”
Beam Global and the National Association of Drug Court Professionals (NADCP) partnered in May 2007 to launch the National Center for DWI Courts, which focuses solely on hardcore and repeat drunk driving offenders. Beam Global is now in its second year working with NCDC to help raise awareness about the effectiveness of DWI Courts. Currently, there are 445 DWI Courts across the country, with 13 established in Georgia.
About The National Association for Drug Professionals:
The National Association of Drug Court Professionals (NADCP), a not-for-profit organization, was founded in 1994 by a group of visionaries to reduce the negative social impact of substance abuse, crime, and recidivism by:
* promoting and advocating for the establishment and funding of drug courts, DWI courts and other problem-solving courts;
* providing for the collection and dissemination of information;
* providing training, technical assistance and mutual support to courts nationwide.
Within its short 14-year history, NADCP has become the premier national training and advocacy organization for over 2,100 drug and DWI courts nationally by:
* serving as the only national organization representing over 19,000 multi-disciplinary drug court professionals before federal and state lawmakers;
* annually hosting approximately 130 court training and technical assistance events that have benefited thousands of court practitioners;
* writing, publishing, and disseminating scholastic and practical publications that are critical to the ongoing growth and fidelity of the drug court model; and
* creating a vision of a reformed criminal justice system by impacting policy and legislation.
About Beam Global Spirits & Wine:
Inspiring conversations around the world, Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc., is building brands people want to talk about. Consumers from all corners of the globe call for our brands, including Jim Beam® Bourbon, Sauza® Tequila, Canadian Club® Whisky, Courvoisier® Cognac, Maker’s Mark® Bourbon, Laphroaig® Scotch Whisky, Cruzan® Rum, Larios® Gin, Whisky DYC®, Teacher’s® Scotch Whisky, DeKuyper® Cordials and Liqueurs, Knob Creek® Bourbon and Starbucks™ Liqueurs. Beam Global Spirits & Wine is part of Fortune Brands, Inc. (NYSE:FO ), a leading consumer brands company with annual sales exceeding $8 billion. For more information on Beam Global Spirits & Wine, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, please visit www.beamglobal.com and www.drinksmart.com.
