First offenders in the State of Connecticut may be eligible to participate in the Pretrial Alcohol Education Program, which is administered by the Connecticut Superior Court. This program consists of at least 10 alcohol or substance abuse counseling sessions and a Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Victim Impact Panel. The program is overseen by the state and it is delivered by twelve authorized providers. Eligibility for this DUI program is limited first offenders and second offenders whose first drunk driving offense is more than 10 years old. A substance abuse evaluation is mandatory as a condition of entry into the program. Successful completion of this Pretrial Alcohol Education Program results in the DUI charges being dismissed by the court. This dismissal will occur approximately one year after your assignment to the AEP. Dismissal is mandatory upon successful completion of the program.
The goal of the Pretrial Alcohol Education Program is to reduce DUI recidivism through education. One of the benefits of this pre-trial diversion program to participants is that participation is possible without having to plead guilty and successful program completion will result in a dismissal of the charges by the court. When your DUI is dismissed, it will be removed from your criminal record. However, the fact that you were assigned to and completed the AEP will remain on your driving record and this may have consequences for licensing and insurance.
Unfortunately, if you are a Massachusetts resident who commits a DUI in the State of Connecticut, and the Registry of Motor Vehicles discovers or is notified of your DUI arrest and resulting assignment to an alcohol education program, the Registry will treat it as an OUI conviction and suspend your Massachusetts Driver’s License for one year as a first offense, two years for a second offense, eight years for a third offense, ten years for a fourth offense, and life for a fifth or subsequent offense.
Like Massachusetts, Connecticut offers hardship licenses to those offenders who meet the state’s qualifications. This Connecticut alcohol education program is similar to the Massachusetts 24D program, which is available to first offenders and “second chance” first offenders, whose prior DUI conviction occurred more than 10 years before the second offense.