In Allegheny County, if you are convicted of a first-time DUI, you may find yourself being checked into the so-called “DUI Hotel” rather than serving your sentence locked up in a jail cell.

The program has seen thousands of first-time offenders serve their time in the form of a three night stay. While it may sound a little bit more like a vacation than a sentence, not everyone thinks it is fair. Inmates at the hotel do have privileges such as being able to smoke, have their cellphone and access to a computer that they wouldn’t have in jail. Other critics complain that it’s unfair to the poor who cannot afford the fee.

Originally, the DUI hotel was launched in 2010 due to the unusually high number of DUI arrests and convictions. These arrests were creating administrative and logistical issues within a judicial system that was already being overwhelmed. The stated goal of the DUI hotel is to cut down on the number of first-time DUI offenders and insure that they don’t end up back in court again for additional charges of DUI.

For DUI offenders, they can choose to serve their three days in jail or electronic monitoring at a lower cost, or pay the $500 fee to go to the DUI hotel with a room that is shared. Those that wish to have a private hotel room at DUI hotel have to pay a total fee of $850.

If you are facing the charge of DUI, then make a call to the Law Offices of Steven E. Kellis to speak with an experienced PA DUI lawyer.

Mr. Kellis has over 20 years of experience in both DUI conviction and defense, so he knows the law. The charge of DUI is very serious and having a conviction on your record could cost you your job as well as your license and the expense of having to pay higher insurance rates as a result. Call us or use the contact form here on our website for a free consultation and legal analysis. We are here to answer your call, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.