Some of those serving sentences for DUI may get out of jail a little early, if a recently approved pilot monitoring program succeeds and spreads to the rest of Yavapai County.

DUI offenders may be out of jail, but they won’t be off the hook. Instead, a judge may approve offenders to serve their detention at home.

“It’s an experimental project, but if we can offer projects that provide service to the taxpayers while also proving to be better methods of changing habits then I’d be willing to keep trying that,” Yavapai County District 3 Supervisor Chip Davis said.

A private firm contracted to the county will install, remove and keep tabs on the offender with a GPS monitoring device with the added function of measuring use of alcohol by the wearer. The county will soon put out a request for bids.

Prescott Justice of the Peace and Prescott City Magistrate Arthur Markham requested the pilot program go before the Yavapai County Board of Supervisors on Sept. 4, which approved it 3-0.

For the full story, see the Wednesday, Sept. 19, edition of The Camp Verde Journal or the Cottonwood Journal Extra.