drugged driving cases, grow even more complicated. In some areas, we call for an end to judges being so protective of pro se defendants that they refuse all guilty pleas or even counsel defendants on how they should defend themselves. • We need even more training for officers on proper handling of DUI arrests as officer error on these very complicated cases can ensure there will not be a conviction. Steps to improve motivation to do excellent work in this area are also needed. • South Carolina needs to better embrace technology used in other states to aid in the fight against DUI including increased use of ignition interlock devices so that they are required of all convicted offenders and those who want to drive after refusing, electronic methods for getting a warrant for a blood draw, and teleconferencing services to simplify the logistics of court hearings that can sometimes prevent convictions. Within each of the groups that make up the key parts of our DUI prosecution system (officers, prosecutors, and judges/magistrates), we have found that there are many with a genuine concern for the tragic impact that drunk and drugged driving can have on individuals, families, and communities. Many are doing the absolute best they can given their resources and circumstances. However, we call on all these groups, and the legislature, to do more because South Carolina continues to rank toward the bottom of states in regard to drunk driving, and we deserve better. At MADD SC, we strive for no more victims and no more deadly results.
MADD South Carolina’s Court Monitoring Program and the printing of this report is funded by the Office of Highway Safety and Justice Programs (OHSJP) of the South Carolina Department of Public Safety (SCDPS).
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