ALCOHOL, DRUGS, AND CRIME DUI Trends and Countermeasures

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ALCOHOL, DRUGS, AND CRIMEDUI Trends and
Countermeasures

• Association for Criminal Justice Research
• McClellan, CA
• March 17, 2005
• Cliff Helander, Chief, California DMV Research

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Drunk Driving is it a crime?

• Most (2/3) adult Americans drink alcohol
• 20 of adults drive above 0.08 BAC at least once
  per year
• QUESTION THERE, BUT FOR THE GRACE OF GOD, GO I?

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There, but for the grace?.NO!

• Less than 1 chance that DUI will lead to arrest
• Probability of arrest while DUI is 1 in 140
• Which means a DUI arrestee will have driven
  drunk, on average, more than 100 times before
  being caught, and
• The average BAC at DUI arrest 0.16, which is
  DOUBLE THE LEGAL LIMIT

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DUI SANCTIONS AND COUNTERMEASURES

• Fine
• Jail
• License suspension
• 1915 California Vehicle Code (CVC) penalty for
  first conviction of DUI 500 fine or 6 months
  in jail, plus one year license suspension

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DUI COUNTERMEASURES

• WHAT DOESNT WORK?
• Jail
• Fines

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DUI COUNTERMEASURES IN CALIFORNIA WHAT WORKS
AND WHAT DOESNT, WITH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
LEGISLATIVE REFORM

• Report to the Legislature
• In Accord With Senate Bill 776 (Torlakson)
• September 2002

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DUI COUNTERMEASURES

• LICENSE SUSPENSION WORKS
• Reduces subsequent crashes and convictions 30
  to 80 compared to similar drivers not suspended
• Up to 75 of suspended drivers continue to
  drivebut less often and more carefullywhich
  explains the effectiveness of license suspension

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DUI COUNTERMEASURESWHAT WORKS?

• EFFECTIVE DRIVER-BASED COUNTERMEASURES
• Minimum drinking age laws
• Per se BAC laws
• Administrative per se license suspension laws
• Zero-Tolerance laws for youth
• Post-conviction license action
• Alcohol treatment programs
• House arrest in lieu of jail
• Sobriety checkpoints

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Effectiveness of Alcohol Treatment Programs
California DMV Research Studies

• Sadler Perrine (1984), Tashima Peck (1986)
  Second offender DUI treatment reduces recidivism
  by 9 to 24
• Tashima Marelich (1989) Second offender DUI
  treatment reduces recidivism alcohol-related
  crashes
• DeYoung (1995) All 3 levels of DDP treatment
  reduce DUI recidivism
• Tashima Helander (2005) 13-year review of
  annual DUI-MIS reports second offender DUI
  treatment consistently reduces recidivism and
  alcohol-involved crashes results less conclusive
  for first-offender programs

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DUI COUNTERMEASURESWHAT WORKS?

• EFFECTIVE VEHICLE-BASED COUNTERMEASURES
• Vehicle impoundment or immobilization
• Ignition interlock
• OTHER COUNTERMEASURES IMPACTING ALCOHOL-IMPAIRED
  DRIVING
• Seat belts
• Graduated driver licensing
• Alcoholic beverage control

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DUI COUNTERMEASURESWHAT MIGHT WORK?

• Preliminary Breath Test (PBT) BAC testing of all
  crash-involved drivers
• Designated drivers and safe rides programs
• Alternative treatment modalities, including
  pharmaceutical treatment

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• TORLAKSON REPORT (SB 776) MAJOR
  RECOMMENDATIONS
• Pharmaceutical treatment of convicted DUI
  offenders
• Alcoholic beverage control
• Reduce crashes associated with on-premise
  drinking
• Increase DUI prevention efforts, especially those
  targeting youth

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Percent of California Traffic Fatalities that are
Alcohol-Involved