MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Location: file:///C:/5113A2B3/Misconceptionsabout1sttimeDrunkDrivingOffenders.htm Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Misconceptions about 1st time Drunk Driving Offenders

Misconceptions about 1st time Drunk D= riving Offenders

 

 

Recent studies have r= esulted in dramatically new information concerning first offenders for drunk driving.  The significance of the data suggests that we should try to = use the data and studies to educate the public and courts about the issues.

 

&Oslas= h;     First offenders are likely to have driven drunk before.

 

Studies show that the= re is an arrest made for every 88 instances of drunk driving. <= span class=3DGramE>Zador, et al, (1997). William J. Rauch, Ph.D. a researcher has called this “learning”= to drink and drive.

 

While it seems axioma= tic to long time prosecutors, this is the first definitive information about 1st offense drunk drivers.

 

&Oslas= h;     First offenders BAC at the time of arrest is alm= ost the same as that of repeat offenders.

 

Instead of being slig= htly over the legal limit, research shows most first offenders are almost twice = the legal limit.  (Rauch, 2005; Jones & Lacey, 2000) Repeat Offenders = had .18 BAC and first offenders had .16 BAC.

 

&Oslas= h;     First offenders are very likely to have a proble= m with alcohol.

 

A Massachusetts judge in the Quincy Dist= rict Court made 1,252 referrals for clinical evaluations of first offenders over= a 3 year time period.  80% came back as problem drinkers and 20% as social drinkers. (Rauch, 2005)  Similarly, Wieczorek, 1992 study showed 70-80% DWI offenders are problem drinkers.

 

&Oslas= h;     First Offenders are likely to drive even when th= eir license is suspended.

 

Administrative revoca= tions are shown to be effective at deterring people from committing or re-committ= ing drunk driving. (Voas, Tipp= ett & Taylor, 2000)

 

Unfortunately, 50% to= 75 % of those whose licenses are suspended will drive in spite of the suspension. (Nichols & Ross, 1990)

 

&Oslas= h;     First Offenders are likely to drive drunk again.=

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Recidivism rates amon= g first offenders are similar to rates for repeat offenders. (R= auch et al., 2002).

 

“A first alcohol related event proved a more statistical risk factor than …. subsequent events” Rauch.

 

See, Prosecutor Magaz= ine, Vol. 42, Number 1, Jan-March, 2008.