I am chilled....General populace is fucked they should separate the real head cases from the guys who might be stuck in for I dunno drink driving or do you go somewhere else? Suppose wouldn't be much a deterrent then.
PS>Is it even working?
All depends on where you are and what you do. If you are in a large inner-city county, you are more than likely going to get processed downtown and if it is - like you said - something like a DWI they are most likely just going to process you and you will be out in something like 48 hours. If you have multiples (are a serial drunk driver) you are going to get harsher treatment (obviously) the more you offend. HOWEVER, ironically enough in the inner-city counties by me if you have multiple drunk-driving offenses they are LESS likely to be harsh because the county jails are packed. It's the suburb counties that really ass rape you if you drink and drive because their county jails aren't that full. I got my D-Dub in a large inner-city county and I wasn't there for more than like a few days. It was my only offense so I was out in no time but had a lot of shit to do (MADD, fines, license reinstatement)
County can hold you (I believe, but they all vary) for up to like 12 months and then depending on your offense you either are released or they ship your ass to prison.
As far as prisons, California is a nightmare, especially if you are white. I actually just watched a Locked Up Raw and I think it was Pelican Bay that whites are a real minority and have to gang together. In my state the worst prison is upstate, where they send the real scumbags (rapists, armed robbers, murderers). I know a couple kids who've been to lower level prisons but they weren't exactly a cakewalk either. In short, you had better have at least a little street knowledge and be pretty tough SOB if you are going to go to any prison.
In short, there is no such thing as a pleasant prison stint that I know of. As far as I know that is not the case in Europe. Correct me if I am wrong.