FORT WORTH -- When Allen Dixon was arrested for his third driving while under the influence offense, he was passed out in the McDonalds drive-through.
"It was the best thing that ever happened to me," Dixon said, describing the experience as a turning point in his life.Dixon, 32, spoke during his graduation from Tarrant County's rigorous Felony Alcohol Intervention Program, an alternative to sending offenders to prison, which is celebrating its sixth anniversary. It was created to reduce crime, increase public safety and change offenders' behavior.Since its founding, 261 offenders have been admitted and 40 people have graduated from its four-year program. The program also saves tax dollars. It costs around $50 a day to house a prisoner, while it costs $3 a day for someone to be in the alcohol intervention program."I've seen a huge impact on their [offenders'] families," said state District Judge Sharen Wilson, one of two judges who oversee the program. She said relatives of many of those in the program don't trust them because they've promised continually to get sober, but never do.Wilson said that once people realize that they can be sober, they begin making positive changes in their lives.Rigorous checksFAIP may be an alternative to putting someone behind bars, but participants are not coddled and must follow stringent guidelines that are monitored by Wilson and state District Judge Robb Catalano.When participants start out, they enter a plea and are given a seven-year prison sentence, which is reduced to four years of probation, Wilson said. They must go to court once a week and attend counseling sessions.The participants are not allowed to drive at first, and they must wear ankle alcohol monitors. They agree to have their houses searched because they cannot possess alcohol or anything that would "aggrandize" it, such as neon beer signs," Wilson said.As people spend more time in the program, the requirements become less strict, but the participants have to keep a full-time job, undergo random urine testing and have an interlocking ignition device placed on their cars once they have gotten their driving privileges back.The program also is tailored to a person's individual needs and infractions are dealt with on a case-by-case basis.Personal storiesJohn Knapp, who also graduated Monday, also shared his story of how the FAIP program turned his life around at a time when he hit rock bottom.When Knapp faced his third felony DWI conviction, he had crashed into a tree while his girlfriend was in the car."It woke me up and made me realize that there were so many times I was driving drunk and could have killed someone," he said.Knapp, who now owns a contracting company and works part-time at a downtown Fort Worth restaurant, said he was 18 when he was arrested for driving under the influence.He got 10 years of probation, but 9 1/2 years into his probation was arrested for a second time.He served time in prison and was out on parole when he was arrested again.Knapp said some counseling and treatment options were offered, but it didn't seem like people cared, he said."I thought all they wanted to do was lock us up," he said.Knapp and Dixon described how there were times when they wanted to quit and drop out of the FAIP program, but their families, probation officers and the judges kept encouraging them.Dixon told the audience about how he checked his Facebook messages after he finished work Sunday.One of his former drinking buddies was found passed out in his room. He was taken to the hospital, where he died."If he got caught like I did, he might be here today," Dixon said.Elizabeth Campbell, 817-390-7696Twitter: @fwstlizHave more to add? News tip? Tell us
