and I have recently enrolled in the Alcohol Education Program. This decision was made as a result of a Fake ID/Altered Drivers License charge I received on February 8th, 2018 in downtown Charleston, SC. The reason for this letter is to express concerns I have regarding the transparency of the program, as well as some of the elements included in the program. First and foremost, I acknowledge that participation in this program is a privilege that is not afforded to everyone, and for that I am thankful. With that said, I feel as though some of the information provided by the court regarding the program is deceptive. On my day in court, I did not have the representation of a defense attorney and as I walked to the front of the courtroom, I was
…show more content…
Prior to the meeting, I submitted my payment of $100 to the AEP office, as instructed. As I entered the room with Ms. Roberts, I was informed of fees and charges associated with the program that were in no way, shape or form made known to me before applying to the program. According to the informational sheet that I was given to sign during the meeting, “All South Carolina arrests remain on a criminal rap sheet until an expungement document is filed and processed to remove the arrest. I understand that I must file for expungement of the charge/s I am entering AEP with, once I successfully complete the program”. I was subsequently informed that in order for this apparent requirement to be completed, it would cost $185. This was not divulged in the information provided to me regarding the program before I submitted my application. Beyond this, I was also informed that in order to fulfill the program requirements, the cost of counseling would be a minimum of $160, with a mandatory $20 fee for a drug test, contrary to the official brochure which cited a figure of $100 as a “counseling fee”. Furthermore, as part of the program requirements, I must complete a defensive driving course that carries a fee of $49, a figure that again, was never divulged prior to
Prior to the meeting, I submitted my payment of $100 to the AEP office, as instructed. As I entered the room with Ms. Roberts, I was informed of fees and charges associated with the program that were in no way, shape or form made known to me before applying to the program. According to the informational sheet that I was given to sign during the meeting, “All South Carolina arrests remain on a criminal rap sheet until an expungement document is filed and processed to remove the arrest. I understand that I must file for expungement of the charge/s I am entering AEP with, once I successfully complete the program”. I was subsequently informed that in order for this apparent requirement to be completed, it would cost $185. This was not divulged in the information provided to me regarding the program before I submitted my application. Beyond this, I was also informed that in order to fulfill the program requirements, the cost of counseling would be a minimum of $160, with a mandatory $20 fee for a drug test, contrary to the official brochure which cited a figure of $100 as a “counseling fee”. Furthermore, as part of the program requirements, I must complete a defensive driving course that carries a fee of $49, a figure that again, was never divulged prior to