The Criminal History of Repeat DUI Offenders

This study tested whether repeat driving under the influence (DUI) offenders have more extensive criminal histories, exclusive of DUI and traffic offenses, than first-time offenders. Analysis of arrest and criminal history data from a random sample of 429 DUI arrestees found that being a repeat DUI offender increased the total number of convictions (regardless of severity), misdemeanor convictions, and petty misdemeanor/violation convictions. The results illustrate the challenges of rehabilitating and deterring DUI recidivists and the potential differences between first-time and repeat DUI offenders. Among DUI recidivists, impaired driving is best viewed as just one manifestation of a host of deviant behaviors.     

The Alberta Interlock Program: the evaluation of a province-wide program on DUI recidivism

Aims. This study was designed to determine the efficacy of alcohol safety interlocks in reducing recidivism among first and second driving-under-the-influence (DUI) offenders. It also evaluates the overall effectiveness of interlock programs where typically only a small portion of DUI offenders elect to install interlocks. Design. The driving records of DUI offenders participating in interlock programs for 6 months for first offenders and 2 years for second offenders were compared with similar offenders who chose not to participate. Setting. A province-wide program in Alberta, Canada. Participants. Records of 35 132 drivers convicted of DUI between 1 July 1998 and 30 September 1996 were analyzed. Measurements. Repeat DUI offenses during and after the interlock period. Findings. While the offenders had interlocks on their vehicles, DUI recidivism was substantially reduced. Once the interlock had been removed and the participants had been reinstated, their DUI rate was the same as other offenders indicating that the interlock reduced recidivism while in place. Because only 8.9% of eligible drivers elected to participate in the interlock program, the program did not significantly increase the overall effectiveness of the province's management of DUI offenders. Conclusions. Interlocks are associated with a major reduction in DUI recidivism while on the vehicle of the offender. However, because few offenders elect to participate, the program produces only a small (5.9%) overall reduction in the recidivism rate of all DUI offenders.     

Impact of the revision of DUI legislation in Alabama

On May 19, 1980, a major revision in the Alabama DUI laws went into effect which gave judges greater discretion in sentencing. This revision resulted in an increase in the proportion of DUI convictions, a reduction in the number of DUI citations reduced to reckless driving, a reduction in the proportion of offenders acquitted and/or dismissed, an increase in the proportion of revocations, and an increase in court referrals to an educational program on the first offense. However, the 1980 revision was accompanied by a significant increase in the percentage of alcohol-related accidents. Consequently, the Alabama legislature revised the 1980 law on July 29, 1983, the revision taking effect immediately. The more stringent penalties in the new law apparently had a positive effect on all six alcohol-related measures cited above. Most importantly, the latest revision was accompanied by a significant decrease (2.80%) in the proportion of alcohol-related accidents.     

Predicting Termination from Drug Court and Comparing Recidivism Patterns: Treating Substance Use Disorders in Criminal Justice Settings

Drug courts have been used in the criminal justice system to treat substance use disorders since 1989. This study evaluates a drug court in Indiana, focusing specifically on the most predictive variables for being terminated from the program and comparing recidivism patterns of drug court and probation participants. Participants were most likely to be terminated from drug court if they did not have a high school diploma or equivalent at admission, were not employed or a student at admission, identified cocaine as a drug of choice, had more positive drug tests, had a violation within the first 30 days of the program, and had a criminal history. Additional findings suggest that drug court is more effective than probation at reducing criminal recidivism rates for offenders with substance use disorders. Implications for drug court practice and future research are discussed.     

An evaluation of the effectiveness of alcohol treatment, driver license actions and jail terms in reducing drunk driving recidivism in California

Abstract Aim. There has been long-standing interest in determining which sanctions work best to reduce drunk driving. This study examines the effectiveness of alcohol treatment, driver license actions and jail terms in reducing drunk-driving recidivism. Design. This quasi-experimental study examines the relationships between the sanctions that drivers convicted of driving-under-the-influence (DUI) receive and their subsequent reconviction of DUI, while statistically controlling for pre-existing differences among groups receiving different sanctions. Separate analyses were conducted for subjects having 0, 1 or 2 or more prior DUI convictions on their driving record. Setting. The study analyzes drunk driving reacidivism throughout the state of California. Participants. All drivers holding a California driver license who were convicted of DUI by a California court during 1990 and 1991 were selected for inclusion in the study. Measurements. A number of demographic, prior personal driving history and surrogate traffic environment measures were collected and used as covariates in the analyses. Data were also gathered on subsequent DUI reconvictions, and the number of days to first subsequent DUI reconviction, and used as outcome variables in the study. Findings. Results of the analyses showed that for all levels of prior DUI convictions, combining alcohol treatment with either driver license restriction or suspension is associated with the lowest DUI recidivism rates. Conclusions. Based on this research, and the results of prior studies, it can be persuasively argued that combining license actions with alcohol treatment represents the most effective sanction combination for combating DUI recidivism.     

Randomized sanctions to reduce re-offense among repeat impaired-driving offenders

AIMS: This study, conducted within a driving under the influence (DUI) court intervention, evaluated the degree to which removing electronic monitoring (EM) and/or mandatory vehicle sales requirements increased rates of post-sentence traffic violations among repeat DUI offenders. DESIGN: Randomized trial. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: A total of 477 repeat DUI offenders entering the Driving under the Influence of Intoxicants (DUII) Intensive Supervision Program (DISP), Multnomah County, Oregon. INTERVENTION: Subjects were randomized into four intervention groups. Group 1: standard DISP with EM and vehicle sales requirements; group 2: standard DISP with mandatory vehicle sale, but without EM; group 3: standard DISP with EM, but without mandatory vehicle sale; and group 4: standard DISP without EM or mandated vehicle sale. Standard DISP includes treatment for alcohol abuse and dependence, polygraph testing, regular court appearances, and probation or court-based monitoring. MEASUREMENTS: The risk of re-arrest for traffic violations was compared among the four groups using hazard ratio estimates from complementary log-log regression models. FINDINGS: Compared with group 1, subjects in group 2 initially had increased re-arrest risks, but this effect dissipated within 3 years of entering DISP. Group 3 subjects had a 96% increase in re-arrest rates. Group 4 subjects had smaller increased risks than predicted, with re-arrest rates similar to those of group 1 at the end of the follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: Although some of the findings suggest that mandatory vehicle sales may deter future traffic violations, inconsistent results across groups make this finding equivocal. Positive effects of EM, while large in the short term, appear to have a relatively small long-term value in reducing traffic arrest rates.     

Twelve-month employment intervention outcomes for drug-involved offenders

Background: Employment has been identified as an important part of substance abuse treatment and is a predictor of treatment retention, treatment completion, and decreased relapse. Although employment interventions have been designed for substance abusers, few interventions have focused specifically on drug-involved offenders. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine employment outcomes for drug-involved offenders who received a tailored employment intervention. Methods: In a randomized controlled trial, baseline and follow-up data were collected from 500 drug-involved offenders who were enrolled in a drug court program. Participants were randomly assigned to drug court as usual (control group) or to the employment intervention in addition to drug court. Results: Intent-to-treat analyses found that the tailored intervention was associated only with more days of paid employment at follow-up (210.1 vs. 199.9 days). When focusing on those with greater employment assistance needs, a work trajectory analyses, which took into account participants’ pre-baseline employment pattern (negative or positive), revealed that intervention group participants had higher rates of employment (82.1% vs. 64.1%), more days paid for employment (188.9 vs. 157.0 days), and more employment income ($8623 vs. $6888) at follow-up than control group participants. Conclusion: The present study adds to the growing substance abuse and employment literature. It demonstrates the efficacy of an innovative employment intervention tailored for drug-involved offenders by showing positive changes in 12-month employment outcomes, most strongly for those who have not had recent employment success.     

Perception of Risk for Subsequent Drinking and Driving Related Offenses and Locus of Control among First-Time DUI Offenders

It is estimated that approximately one third of first-time driving-under-the-influence (DUI) offenders are at risk for committing a subsequent offense. To reduce the risk of recidivism, most states require mandatory screening and counseling of convicted DUI offenders. Unfortunately, the majority of offenders are not receptive to either screening or recommendations for further interventions designed to reduce their level of risk. The current study examines the relationship between locus of control and receptivity to risk status. To test this hypothesis, both the Rotter Internal-External Locus of Control Scale (I-E) and the Drinking Related Internal-External Locus of Control Scale (DRIE) were administered to a group of convicted first DUI offenders. The results indicate that the offenders manifesting a more internal locus of control were more receptive to risk information compared to their external locus of control counterparts. Important clinical implications of these findings are discussed.     

Towards a national model for managing impaired driving offenders

Aims To describe a proposed national model for controlling the risk presented by offenders convicted of driving while impaired (DWI) and promoting behavioral change to reduce future recidivism. Setting Traditional methods of controlling the risk they present to the driving public are not adequate, as indicated by the fact that approximately 1000 people are killed each year‐in alcohol‐related crashes involving drivers convicted of DWI in the previous three years. However, stimulated by the success of special drug courts for substance abusers and new technological methods for monitoring drug and alcohol use, new criminal justice programs for managing impaired driving offenders are emerging. Intervention A national model for a comprehensive system applicable to both drug and alcohol impaired drivers is proposed. The program focuses on monitoring offender drinking or the offender driving employing vehicle interlocks with swift, sure but moderate penalties for non‐compliance in which the ultimate sanction is based on offender performance in meeting monitoring requirements. Findings Several new court programs, such as the 24/7 Sobriety Project in South Dakota and North Dakota and the Hawaii's Opportunity Probation with Enforcement (HOPE) Project, which feature alcohol/drug consumption monitoring, have produced evidence that indicates even dependent drinkers can conform to abstinence monitoring requirements and avoid the short‐term jail consequence for failure. Conclusions Based on the apparent success of emerging court monitoring systems, it appears that the cost of incarcerating driving‐while‐impaired offenders can be minimized by employing low‐cost community correction programs paid for by the offender.     

Decreased re-conviction rates of DUI offenders with intensive supervision and home confinement

Background: In some jurisdictions, persons who are convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI) are allowed to serve some portion of their prison sentence under home confinement as part of Intensive Supervision Programs (ISPs) which include pre-release psycho-education and close post-release supervision. Objectives: Test the hypothesis that persons convicted of DUI offenses who have spent some portion of their sentence under home confinement, as compared to a historical comparison group, will exhibit a relatively low re-conviction rate. Methods: Using administrative data for 1,410 repeat DUI offenders (302 members of the historical comparison group, 948 ISP members, and 160 persons who appear in both groups at different points in time), with a follow-up period of up to 3 years and 10 months, a marginal Cox model was employed to compare conviction rates of persons who experienced intensive supervision and home confinement with historical comparison group members. Results: Persons with ISP + home confinement experience a re-conviction rate that is less than half that observed in the comparison group. Age, ethnicity (white vs. non-white), and gender are also significant predictors of re-conviction. Conclusion: Home confinement, in conjunction with psycho-education and other program elements, is one means of reducing the costs of incarceration. The results of this study suggest that, in addition to cost savings, states may realize a public safety benefit in the form of a reduction in DUI offense rates.     

Mandated AA attendance for recidivist drinking drivers: ideology, organization, and California criminal justice practices

This paper examines 2877 municipal court drunk driving cases sampled from 1982 to 1989 in four California sites. Recidivist drinking drivers were those charged with driving under the influence and having two or more drunk driving convictions on their records. In two sites, virtually no AA referrals were made. In the others, in addition to jail terms and fines, judges ordered attendance at meetings of AA for 37–41 % of cases. Referral to AA was unrelated to blood alcohol level or number of prior drinking driving convictions. In one AA-referring site, the data indicate that over 75% of drinking drivers convicted in the 1988–89 period were referred to AA by a judge or county probation or parole officer. These findings suggest that, as a whole, California sentencing policies lack a coherent framework. Instead of reflecting information on program effectiveness and offenders' needs, variation in sentencing appears to mark differences in local fiscal circumstances, levels of jail crowding and ideological orientations of judges and other officials. It is suggested that referral practices could have an adverse impact on both individuals' alcohol problems and on recovery programs.     

Substance Abuse Problem Severity Among Rural and Urban Female DUI Offenders

Objectives: Although there has been an overall decline in the rates of driving under the influence (DUI) over the past two decades, this decrease has not occurred uniformly across all groups of DUI offenders. For example, the proportion of female DUI offenders has significantly increased. Furthermore, DUI arrest rates remain higher in less populated areas of the country. The present study examines indicators of problem severity among female DUI offenders across graduated levels of rurality. Methods: A total of 19,094 substance abuse assessment records from females convicted of DUI between 2002 and 2006 in Kentucky were examined. Beale codes were used to define the extent to which the county of conviction was rural. Results: Rurality was significantly and positively associated with multiple DUI offenses, being underage, drug problems, prevalence of DSM-IV-TR substance dependence and abuse criteria, being referred to substance abuse treatment rather than an education only intervention, and referral noncompliance. Blood alcohol concentration and alcohol problems were inversely related to rurality. Conclusion: The study suggests that problem severity among female DUI offenders may be greater in rural areas and could produce challenges for practitioners who assess and treat rural female DUI offenders.     

How judges sentence DUI offenders: an experimental study

This study examined the impact of 1) a DUI offender's blood alcohol level at the time of arrest and 2) the number of prior drunken driving convictions on judges' sentencing patterns. These variables were manipulated using vignettes that were presented to all judges who sentence drunken drivers in Colorado. Judges were asked to determine appropriate amounts of jail time, fines, public service hours, and alcohol education course work. Results indicated that they gave more severe sentences to offenders with prior records and to those with higher blood alcohol levels. The effects were generally stronger for the first variable, prior record. These findings suggest that judges may perceive of and sentence repeat offenders differently than first-time offenders, regardless of the level of intoxication at arrest.     

How Judges Sentence DUI Offenders: An Experimental Study

This study examined the impact of 1) a DUI offender's blood alcohol level at the time of arrest and 2) the number of prior drunken driving convictions on judges' sentencing patterns. These variables were manipulated using vignettes that were presented to all judges who sentence drunken drivers in Colorado. Judges were asked to determine appropriate amounts of jail time, fines, public service hours, and alcohol education course work. Results indicated that they gave more severe sentences to offenders with prior records and to those with higher blood alcohol levels. The effects were generally stronger for the first variable, prior record. These findings suggest that judges may perceive of and sentence repeat offenders differently than first-time offenders, regardless of the level of intoxication at arrest.     

Driver fatalities and DUI offenders in New Jersey.

Comparisons of driving and demographic characteristics were made on 407 driver fatalities (DFs) and 407 motorists convicted of driving under the influence (DUI). Significantly more DUI offenders (DOs) than DFs were men and had previous DUIs, accidents, license suspensions, and weekend "index" events. DFs with a blood or brain alcohol concentration (BAC) of 100 or above mg/dL matched most closely with DOs on negative driving events, "index" event days, and demographics. Conversely, DFs with negative BACs differed significantly with DOs on virtually all characteristics. High-BAC DFs and DOs may well be drawn from the same subpopulation of deviant drivers, whereas DFs with negative BACs seem similar to licensed drivers in general.     

Three‐year mortality and predictors after release: a longitudinal study of the first‐time drug offenders in Taiwan

Aims To assess the possible increase in mortality rate and associated socio‐demographic and judiciary determinants among first‐time drug offenders during the first 3 years after release from correctional facilities. Setting and participants A total of 22 224 male and 4444 female adults who had served a sentence of at least 1 day in correctional facilities for illegal drug‐related offences were identified from the judiciary records of the Ministry of Justice, Taiwan. Design and measurements The underlying causes of death were defined by the International Classification of Diseases, ninth revision. Findings All‐cause standardized mortality ratios (SMR) were 7 for schedule I (e.g. heroin) and 3 for schedule II (e.g. methamphetamine) drug offenders, respectively; accidents, suicide and circulatory diseases were three leading causes of death. After release, the risk of death among those drug offenders without subsequent incarceration increased gradually until the 9th month. Those who were aged 30 years or older, had an engagement with a higher‐ranked schedule substance or who received severe sentences were two to three times more likely to die. Substantial reduction in the risk of death was linked with re‐imprisonment. Conclusions The SMR estimates for external causes were greater than those for disease‐related causes in drug offenders, and schedule I drugs‐related mortality rate was twice as high as that with schedule II drugs. In transitioning from the correctional setting to the community, the health needs of drug offenders should be addressed by the provision of continuous, adequate medical care tailored to individual background, medical history and drug experience.     

Predictive validity of the RIASI: alcohol and drug use and problems six months following remedial program participation

The ability of screening instruments for convicted drinking drivers to predict subsequent alcohol and drug-related problems rarely has been studied. The predictive validity of the Research Institute on Addictions Self-Inventory (RIASI) was investigated in a sample of 6,003 convicted drinking drivers who were participating in Back on Track (BOT), Ontario's remedial measures program for convicted drinking drivers. All BOT participants complete an assessment (which includes the RIASI), followed by a brief education or treatment program, and concluded 6 months later by a follow-up interview. The follow-up interview collects information on self-reported alcohol and other drug use and problems, and contacts with other health care providers in the 90 days prior to the follow-up contact. The ability of scores on the RIASI to predict these measures was assessed. The results revealed that, for almost all comparisons, individuals who used alcohol and other drugs, reported more substance-related problems at follow-up, and reported more contacts with other health and addictions providers had significantly higher scores on the RIASI total score and the RIASI recidivism scale at the initial assessment. The data indicate that this instrument appears to be able to identify individuals who will experience alcohol and drug related problems in the future.     

Decision-making in people who relapsed to driving under the influence of alcohol

Background: Alcohol use has been previously associated with neurocognitive impairments, especially in decision‐making cognition. However, some studies have shown little to no decision‐making deficits in relation to different characteristics of people with drinking problems. Relapsing to driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol is an important issue with legal and psychosocial aspects. We evaluated decision‐making performance in second‐time DUI offenders by using the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). Method: Thirty‐four male second‐time DUI offenders who had been selected for an official psychoeducational rehabilitation program and 31 healthy controls that were matched for age, education, and alcohol use were included. Along with psychiatric assessment, we applied conventional neuropsychological testing comprising cognitive set‐shifting, response inhibition, attention, and visuospatial abilities. Also, we used the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) to assess personality patterns. A computerized version of IGT was used. Results: No significant differences were found between the groups in regard to sociodemographics and conventional neuropsychological testing. DUI participants had significantly higher scores only in “self‐transcendence” subdomain of TCI. On the fifth block of the IGT, DUI participants had significantly lower net scores than controls (U = 380.0, p < 0.05). Also, DUI participants chose significantly more risky decks compared to controls. Conclusions: Our results suggest that there may be subtle decision‐making deficits in DUI participants, which goes undetected on conventional neuropsychological testing and which is not correlated with TCI subdomains related with impulsivity patterns.     

Predictive Validity of the RIASI: Alcohol and Drug Use and Problems Six Months Following Remedial Program Participation

The ability of screening instruments for convicted drinking drivers to predict subsequent alcohol and drug-related problems rarely has been studied. The predictive validity of the Research Institute on Addictions Self-Inventory (RIASI) was investigated in a sample of 6,003 convicted drinking drivers who were participating in Back on Track (BOT), Ontario's remedial measures program for convicted drinking drivers. All BOT participants complete an assessment (which includes the RIASI), followed by a brief education or treatment program, and concluded 6 months later by a follow-up interview. The follow-up interview collects information on self-reported alcohol and other drug use and problems, and contacts with other health care providers in the 90 days prior to the follow-up contact. The ability of scores on the RIASI to predict these measures was assessed. The results revealed that, for almost all comparisons, individuals who used alcohol and other drugs, reported more substance-related problems at follow-up, and reported more contacts with other health and addictions providers had significantly higher scores on the RIASI total score and the RIASI recidivism scale at the initial assessment. The data indicate that this instrument appears to be able to identify individuals who will experience alcohol and drug related problems in the future.     

A Randomized Trial of Oral Naltrexone for Treating Opioid‐Dependent Offenders

Offenders with a history of opioid dependence are a particularly difficult group to treat. A large proportion of offenders typically relapse shortly after release from prison, commit drug‐related crimes, and then are arrested and eventually re‐incarcerated. Previous research demonstrated that oral naltrexone was effective in reducing opioid use and preventing recidivism among offenders under federal supervision. The 111 opioid‐dependent offenders in this study were under various levels of supervision that included county and federal probation/parole, a treatment court, an alternative disposition program, and an intermediate punishment program. Subjects were randomly assigned to receive 6 months of either 300 mg per week of oral naltrexone plus standard psychosocial treatment as usual (n = 56) or standard psychosocial treatment as usual (TAU) without naltrexone (n = 55). While the TAU subjects who remained in treatment used more opioids than the naltrexone subjects who remained, the high dropout rate for both groups made it difficult to assess the effectiveness of naltrexone. The study provides limited support for the use of oral naltrexone for offenders who are not closely monitored by the criminal justice system. (Am J Addict 2010;00:1–11)