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Deficiencies in Enforcement, Judicial, and Treatment Programs Related to Repeat Offender Drunk Drivers

NCJ Number
107634
Journal
Alcohol, Drugs and Driving Volume: 3 Issue: 2 Dated: (April-June 1987) Pages: 31-42
Date Published
1987
Length
12 pages
Annotation
Based upon a study of systems to counter drunk driving in 10 States, this 1983 study by the National Transportation Safety Board recommends improvements in the areas of law enforcement, judicial dispositions, and treatment.
Abstract
State alcohol education and treatment systems in 10 States were reviewed, and local enforcement and judicial systems were studied in selected counties and 4 cities in these States. Additionally, the statewide enforcement systems for two States and the judicial system in one were examined indepth. Forty convicted drunk drivers with previous alcohol-related convictions were interviewed to determine their views on how their cases might have been handled at the first offense to reduce recidivism. Sobriety checkpoints and citizen awareness and citizen drunk driver reporting programs are effective in increasing drunk-driving detection, and the use of the horizontal gaze nystagmus can signficantly increase the probability of detecting lower blood alcohol levels in the field. The performance of blood alcohol tests on injured drunk drivers can improve evidence collection, and the administrative revocation of the drivers license immediately after arrest can reduce recidivism. Plea bargaining in drunk driving cases should be reviewed, and judges should be trained in the nature and effectiveness of various drunk driving sentencing options. License suspension/revocation is reasonably effective in reducing repeat offenses, and alcohol treatment programs are apparently cost effective. 41 footnotes.