More than 4,500 drink-drive offenders in Northern Ireland have completed rehabilitation courses over the last decade to help prevent them from reoffending, it was revealed today.
TTC Group, the organisation responsible for delivering the courses in 11 different areas including Belfast, Coleraine, Enniskillen, Londonderry and Portadown, made the announcement after it was awarded the contract to continue providing the training for a further five years.
The company is now hoping to work even closer with Northern Ireland’s courts to inform them of the ability to offer an offender – who is disqualified for 12 months or more in respect of an alcohol-related driving offence – the chance to complete the course.
Training, which is provided by a team of expert trainers in Northern Ireland, tackles the problems associated with drink-driving, giving participants the chance to develop future non-offending behaviour and, thereby, reduce reoffending and the possibility of injuries and deaths.
“We have developed some excellent relationships over the last 10 years and recent reports have highlighted the positive difference the Course for Drink-Drive Offenders (CDDO) is having here,” commented Eddie Phair, Northern Ireland Programme Manager for TTC Group.
“The challenge now is to build on this and make sure we continue to deliver high quality courses that are having a lasting impact. Last year, there were 55 courses held and over 630 people completed the programme, a 9% increase on the previous year.”
He went on to add: “There’s definitely some work to do to get more referrals from judges and this is something we are working on with the court system.
“I’d like to think we can get to a position where half of all offenders are taking and completing the courses.”
The courts in Northern Ireland can offer drink-drive offenders the opportunity to attend a drink-drive rehabilitation course as a sentencing option.
Where an offender is disqualified for 12 months or more – in respect of an alcohol-related driving offence – the court may order that the period of disqualification be reduced if the offender satisfactorily completes an approved Course for Drink-Drive Offenders.
Attendance is voluntary, costs are met by the offender and those successfully completing the course receive a reduction of up to 25% in the period of disqualification and potential discounts on higher renewals offenders will receive from insurance companies.
To successfully complete a course, a participant must attend all 10 modules delivered over three sessions.
TTC Group, which is headquartered in Telford in the UK, delivers driver education courses to 400,000 motorists every year.
In addition to Northern Ireland, it also holds contracts that cover large parts of England, Scotland and Wales, including recent wins in Wiltshire, Northamptonshire and Yorkshire.
