Maryland parole officers have not been reporting drunken drivers’ probation violations to courts, according to an audit released Monday.
In one case, a Maryland resident — who has been convicted three times of driving while intoxicated or under the influence — violated probation 14 times in six months. The suspect’s repeated attempts to drive after drinking were obstructed by a court-ordered ignition interlock system, which measured and logged his blood alcohol content in each instance.
But the Department of Parole and Probation never reported the violations to courts, according to the report by Maryland’s nonpartisan Department of Legislative Audits. The auditors found five other offenders — out of a test of 21 cases — whose repeated probation violations were never reported to courts.
The corrections agency argued that state law is not clear regarding the types of violations that should be reported, and pledged to consider a policy change.
