The consequences of some crimes and traffic violations can be lessened thanks to special alternative sentencing programs, such as the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program. Those who qualify for the ARD program may be able to keep their charges and conviction off their criminal record, avoid jail time and hold on to their driver's license.

People who qualify for the ARD program are usually charged with summary offenses and nonviolent crimes, and have a minor or no criminal history. But whether a person is admitted into the ARD program depends on a wide variety of circumstances, as both drivers in a collision that happened last February in Stowe, Pennsylvania, recently discovered.

One of the drivers was a mother whose child was unrestrained in the back seat of her car at the time of the crash. The 3-year-old girl suffered a small hematoma and a fractured facial bone, according to the criminal complaint. The mother pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of endangering the welfare of a child and was sentenced to five years' probation, including parenting classes. She asked to be admitted to the ARD program, which would have wiped her record clean as long as she successfully completed probation, but prosecutors denied the request, citing "nature and circumstances."

The other driver in the crash was an Amity Township supervisor whom investigators accused of driving drunk after they found him walking around outside his vehicle after the crash, apparently nursing a head injury. A blood test determined the man had a blood-alcohol content of .0991 percent, just over the legal driving limit. The arrest affidavit says he admitted to drinking at a tavern before stopping at a doughnut shop. As he left the shop, he allegedly failed to enter the highway safely, and the woman's car ran into his.

The supervisor pleaded not guilty to charges of DUI, recklessly endangering other persons and careless driving and is currently awaiting trial. He requested entry into the ARD program to avoid the possible two to four years in prison he faces if convicted, but was also denied by prosecutors, who cited "nature and circumstances: accident with injury" as the reason.

ARD and other alternative sentencing programs may not be available for everyone, but an experienced criminal defense attorney can explain them to you and, if you qualify, help you through the process. It could make all the difference in the aftermath of your arrest and conviction.

Source: The Times Herald, "West Pottsgrove mother sentenced to court supervision," Carl Hessler Jr., Jan. 20, 2012