45-9-202. Alternative sentencing authority. - Montana Statutes

     45-9-202. Alternative sentencing authority. (1) A person convicted of a dangerous drug felony offense under this chapter may, in lieu of imprisonment, be sentenced according to the alternatives provided in subsection (2).
     (2) If the court determines, either from the face of the record or from a presentence investigation and report, that incarceration of the defendant is not appropriate, the court may, as a condition of a suspended or deferred sentence, impose one or more of the following alternatives:
     (a) imposition of a fine not to exceed the maximum amount provided by statute for those offenses that specify a fine as part of the penalty or $1,000 for those offenses that do not specify a fine;
     (b) commitment to a residential drug treatment facility licensed and approved by the state for rehabilitative treatment for not less than the minimum recommended time determined necessary by the facility and not more than 1 year;
     (c) mandatory service of not more than 2,000 hours in a community-based drug treatment or drug education program with compliance to be monitored by the probation and parole bureau of the department of corrections based upon information provided by the treatment or education program;
     (d) if recommended by the probation and parole bureau, placement in a program of intensive probation that requires, at a minimum, that the defendant comply with all of the following conditions:
     (i) maintain employment or full-time student status at an approved school, making progress satisfactory to the probation officer, or be involved in supervised job searches and community service work designated by the probation officer;
     (ii) pay probation supervision fees through the department of corrections of not less than $50 a month to be deposited in the account established in 46-23-1031;
     (iii) find a place to reside approved by the probation officer that may not be changed without the officer's approval;
     (iv) remain at the residence at all times except to go to work, to attend school, or to perform community service or as otherwise specifically allowed by the probation officer;
     (v) remain drug free and submit to drug and alcohol tests administered randomly not less than once each month by or under supervision of the probation officer;
     (vi) perform not less than 10 hours of community service each month as approved by the probation officer, except that full-time students may be exempted or required to perform fewer hours of community service;
     (vii) enroll or make satisfactory effort to seek enrollment in an approved drug rehabilitation program; and
     (viii) comply with any other conditions imposed by the court to meet the needs of the community and the defendant;
     (e) suspension or revocation of the defendant's driver's license issued under Title 61, chapter 5, subject to the following terms and conditions:
     (i) upon the first conviction of an offense under this chapter, the driver's license must be suspended for 6 months;
     (ii) upon the second conviction, the driver's license must be revoked for 1 year;
     (iii) upon a third or subsequent conviction, the driver's license must be revoked for 3 years.

     History: En. Sec. 9, Ch. 314, L. 1969; amd. Sec. 5, Ch. 359, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 54-137; amd. Sec. 7, Ch. 451, L. 1983; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 262, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 802, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 202, Ch. 546, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 473, L. 2005.