Many individuals who become found guilty of DUI or DWI in Mercer Island discover that they are at a crucial decision making point, and can find themselves dealing with serious penalties for their alcohol and drug related offenses or agree to go to effective alcohol and drug rehabilitation programs. First time DUI/DWI offenders are key candidates for such rehab, which has been very helpful in addressing issues with drugs and alcohol and ensuring they stay out of the criminal justice system in the future. To be more exact, even if the drug and alcohol treatment alternative is not voluntary and is ordered by the court these clients experience similar if not better success rates as someone who takes part in alcohol and drug treatment voluntarily. In essence, it is significantly more beneficial for the offender, the courts and today's culture at large to rehabilitate DUI/DWI offenders than it is to penalize them.