SCRAM bracelets: a kop out or a fashion accessory?

Experts wary of alcohol bracelets

 I recently read an article from an Australian journalist regarding alcohol bracelets.  It seems troubled celebrities such as Lindsay Loan who have court dates and can not be bothered to turn up for them are being issued with them to monitor their drinking levels but do they really work and are we not missing the point by a long way? 

Lohan was fitted with one recently in a United States court after failing to appear at a probation hearing in a drink-driving case.  The SCRAM bracelets analyse sweat to determine whether the wearer has been drinking alcohol. If the bracelet wearer drinks, then the relevant legal bodies are alerted.  Australian experts in alcohol issues however doubt whether strapping the chunky bracelet on offenders actually works.  The point whether it actually works or not is the point we are missing surely, “troubled celebrities” need to learn there are consequences for their actions and if they don’t turn up for court hearings then their should be a warrant issued for their arrest or a fine to be issued and a further court date to be set.  There is an alternative view that these said celebrities and also normal civilians should be treated for their alcohol problems but who’s to say said celebrity will appear at a clinic to receive treatment if they can’t appear at a court of law to receive judgement for a crime they committed. 

Australian National Council on Drugs chairman John Herron says it would be better to offer treatment to people with alcohol issues.  “I don’t think there is a place for it in Australia,” he said.  “We are a much smaller country and people like Lindsay Lohan need treatment obviously. If they repeatedly infringe, those people need treatment.  “They’ve got a health problem and punitive action like that with technology hasn’t got a place here.”  Dr Herron, a former Liberal senator and surgeon, also points out that the device has been found to be faulty at times.  “One of the difficulties with it, apparently, is there are problems if it gets too much sweat,” he said.  “In parts of northern Australia, there’s a lot of sweating going on.  “As I understand it there are also technical difficulties in the monitoring of the device itself. At this stage, it will need to be improved.  I’m more impressed with having alcohol prevention devices in motor vehicles, like ignition locks to stop vehicles from starting.”

National Drug Research Institute director Professor Steve Allsop agrees more work needs to be done on the device.  “It’s very early stages, and really we shouldn’t embrace something until there’s some strong quality evidence about its sensitivity and accuracy,” he said.

“As evidence emerges, my position may well change. But at the moment, I’d be very cautious about suggesting this is something we should embrace across Australia.”

Professor Allsop, who has worked in the drug and alcohol field for more than 20 years, also doubts whether the bracelets would work in deterring offenders.

“The evidence tells us if we want long-term changes in behaviour, sanctions [like bracelets] might have a role in the short-term, where we say we want you to adhere to this particular order and we’re going to monitor your behaviour to make sure you don’t drink or travel in this particular way,” he said.

“But in the longer-term, the evidence tells us that as soon as you remove those sanctions [such as the bracelet] the incentive to desist from drinking will also be removed.

“That really tells us that [bracelets] will only be part of a broader strategy.

“We actually need to change things – people’s environments, make sure we provide counselling and other forms of interventions to back these sorts of short-term measures up.

“We’ve got good evidence about treatments and community-based interventions that work. Additional resources need to be invested in those approaches.” 

It was reported that Lindsay Lohan has asked Chanel for help dressing up her SCRAM bracelet.  Lohan tweeted: “Can CHANEL please help me out by getting me some stickers to put on my scram bracelet so that I can at least wear a chic dress?!!?”  In our world of political correctness and human right cases I hope Britain is not going to embrace these bracelets and start issuing them to offenders, maybe these bracelets will become the new celebrity must have maybe a designer range will be launched and we will see them feature on the catwalks of the next London fashion week?  Let’s hope we don’t and a more sensible approach to the law is adopted, maybe adhering to the rules would be a better choice.