Being convicted of a DUI in Virginia has various consequences, including potential jail time, fines, and probationary conditions. One consequence that is specific to Loudoun County is that someone who has been convicted of a DUI is required to attend a Victim Impact Panel, also know as a VIP.
A DUI conviction can completely alter someone’s life, the way people view them, and their chances of employment. A knowledgeable Loudoun County DUI lawyer can assist an individual convicted of a DUI work through the frustrations of their case and can help to reduce the resulting penalties.
Anyone convicted of a DUI or other alcohol related offense in Loudoun County, will be required to complete the Victim Impact Panel, also known as VIP. A Victim Impact Panel includes family members that have lost loved ones in DUI related accidents, people that have been injured or have injured others in such accidents, officers that work DUI cases with serious injuries or fatalities, and medical professionals that have seen injured or deceased persons in their ER as a result of DUI driving behavior.
Attending the Victim Impact Panel is an important requirement in Loudoun County and though it is not a lengthy program, failure to comply with the requirement to attend is considered unfavorably. Typically, in Loudoun County, if a person is found guilty of a DUI offense, they are given 90 days from the day of their conviction to complete the VIP program. The VIP program is supervised by the local community corrections and probation office, also known as CCP, and the individual will be on probation with CCP until they complete the VIP. The Victim Impact Panel is held locally at community buildings, such as a local library or fire station.
There is a Victim Impact Panel program in Loudoun County that is supervised by the community corrections and probation office (“CCP”) and sponsored by the local chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, also known as MADD. The Victim Impact Panel is a required program for anyone convicted of an alcohol related driving offense in Loudoun County. Successful completion of the Victim Impact Panel is a term or condition of probation and failure to complete the program would be a probation violation, which would result in appropriate sentencing.
A grant, in conjunction with Mothers Against Drunk Driving, sponsors the Loudoun County Victim Impact Panel program. The program itself is supervised by the Loudoun County Community Corrections and Probation Office and its staff schedules and oversees a person’s completion of the program. The actual curriculum of the program, speakers, and time are organized by MADD.
The Victim Impact Panel program is typically a two-hour program. Someone in this program is required to complete one two-hour session as a term of their probation, if convicted of a DUI offense in Loudoun County. The Victim Impact Panel program typically takes place on a weekday evening.
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