NCJ Number
59145
Date Published
1977
Length
104 pages
Annotation
THE ENFORCEMENT COMPONENT OF PHOENIX'S ALCOHOL SAFETY PROJECT (ASAP) (ARIZONA) IS EVALUATED. THE PROGRAM SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASED THE ARRESTS OF DRUNKEN DRIVERS AND IMPROVED TRAFFIC SAFETY.
Abstract
THE PHOENIX PROGRAM OPERATED FROM 1972 THROUGH 1976 AS ONE OF SEVERAL FEDERALLY FUNDED PROJECTS AIMED AT REDUCING ALCOHOL-RELATED TRAFFIC CRASHES. THIS SECTION OF THE FINAL REPORT LISTS DWI (DRUNK WHILE DRIVING) ARREST PROCEDURES, DESCRIBES OPERATIONS OF THE 10 MEMBERS OF THE ASAP MOTORCYCLE SQUAD, AND ANALYZES ENFORCEMENT EFFORT AND PERFORMANCE. OVER THE TOTAL PERIOD OF ASAP'S OPERATIONS, DWI ARRESTS INCREASED 75 PERCENT. ACTIVITIES OF THE SPECIAL SQUAD, WHICH WAS ROTATED AMONG SECTORS OF THE CITY, INDICATED THAT MANY MORE DRUNKEN DRIVERS COULD BE APPREHENDED IF ADDITIONAL MANPOWER WAS ALLOCATED. STATISTICAL DATA WAS ANALYZED TO PRODUCE A DETAILED PROFILE OF THE DWI OFFENDER, BUT GENERALLY THE OFFENDERS WERE PREDOMINANTLY MALE, ABOUT 34-YEARS OLD, WITH A RACIAL COMPOSITION SIMILAR TO THAT IN CENSUS DATA. THESE PROFILES WERE SIMILAR TO THOSE OF DRIVERS INVOLVED IN FATAL CRASHES, WHICH INDICATED THAT DWI ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES SHOULD CONCENTRATE ON NIGHT HOURS AND DRIVERS UNDER 30-YEARS OLD. EXAMINATION OF ARREST RECORDS INDICATED THAT THE PRESENCE OF THE ASAP SQUAD RESULTED IN AN INCREASE IN DWI ARRESTS BY REGULAR OFFICERS. MOTORCYCLES WERE VALUABLE IN INCREASING ARRESTS, BUT THE USE OF A BREATH-TESTING SYSTEM ON A LARGE SCALE WAS INEFFECTIVE. THE PROGRAM HAD THE SECONDARY BENEFIT OF PRODUCING MANY CLIENTS FOR REFERRAL TO REHABILITATION PROGRAMS. TABLES ARE USED THROUGHOUT THE TEXT. THE APPENDIXES CONTAIN SAMPLES OF POLICE FORMS USED FOR TRAFFIC CITATIONS, ALCOHOL INFLUENCE REPORTS, AFFIDAVITS, AND ARRESTS; A GLOSSARY OF ABBREVIATIONS; AND A SHORT BIBLIOGRAPHY. (MJM)