NCJ Number
105539
Journal
Law and Policy Volume: 9 Issue: 1 Dated: (January 1987) Pages: 5-16
Date Published
1987
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This study examined the impact of a 1984 New Mexico law that permits police to confiscate the license of a driver who fails or refuses to take a breath-alcohol test at the time of failure or refusal, with formal revocation following shortly thereafter.
Abstract
Interviews with judges and police indicate that the elaborate arrest procedure was confusing to many and that direct imposition of punishment by police was not entirely welcome to them. Public telephone surveys conducted in 1984 and 1985 indicate that the perception of risk of apprehension and conviction rose slightly, while the proportion of drivers believing that revocation was very likely or certain upon conviction rose significantly. However, survey results also show that public understanding of the principle of administrative license revocation and knowledge of length of revocation were poor. Interrupted time-series analysis of data for 1984-1986 shows a permanent drop in the proportion of fatalities involving the presence of alcohol precisely at the time the law went into effect. This suggests that despite the lack of publicity and the law's unpopularity with some police, the law did achieve deterrent effects. 1 table and 6 references. (Author abstract modified)