Nevada DUI Laws, Essay Example

Over the last few decades, the penalties for driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or drugs have grown increasinglystrict. In recent years all 50 states have adopted the same standard for assessing impairment by alcohol, buteach state has its own individual and unique sets of laws to deal with DUI offenses and each state punishes impaired drivers differently. It may surprise some people that the state of Nevada, home of Las Vegas –often referred to as “Sin City”- has some of the strictest DUI penalties in the United States; even first time-offenders are likely to serve at least some jail time. Despite these already strict laws, there are some public and private voicesin Nevada who are calling for even harsher penalties for DUI-related offenses. Stricter DUI laws may help reduce the rate of impaired driving in Nevada, but they will also lead to increased pressure on law enforcement and an overburdened court system, significant personal and social costs for accused and convicted offenders, and other potential downsides. Any decision to enact more stringent penalties must be carefully weighed before Nevada considers making any changes to its DUI laws.