Does the license reinstatement process work to protect the public?

Recently there's been a lot of discussion in the press as well as in the public realm as to whether or not license reinstatement hearings with the Secretary of State in Illinois should be eliminated. While I have been a license reinstatement lawyer as well as a criminal defense lawyer over the past 17 years I have noted a drastic difference in recidivism, or repeat offenses, between criminal law and people who have been granted a drivers license after a formal administrative hearing with the Illinois Secretary of State.
 
 I have represented hundreds and hundreds of people at license reinstatement hearings after they were convicted of one, two, or even more driving under the influence of alcohol arrests. After working with all of these clients I have only had one single person who has even been arrested for a driving under the influence of alcohol charge after being granted full reinstatement by the Illinois Secretary of State. This means that in my small sample of clients, there is less than a 1% recidivism rate which is outstanding.
 
 When I look at the recidivism rate of my criminal law clients, it is much, much higher. While there are many complaints out there that say the Secretary of State license reinstatement process is too difficult, I have found my own personal practice that while it is difficult, the process forces repeat offenders to analyze their behavior and correct their drinking issues before being granted a license. Once granted, they do not want to lose the license again and therefore do not repeat offend.
 
 
 – Posted by license reinstatement lawyer John W. Callahan