NCJ Number
74534
Date Published
1979
Length
90 pages
Annotation
The Hillsborough County Florida judicial system, which is responsible for processing driving while intoxicated (DWI) arrest cases, and the system's relationship with the Tampa, Florida, Alcohol Safety Action Project (ASAP) are described.
Abstract
The total caseload for DWI arrests increased steadily over the operational years, 1973 to 1976, from 5,816 to 7,099. The mandatory adjudication law enacted in 1975 was responsible for a decrease in the proportion of DWI guilty dispositions. In general, the traffic courts have maintained a high proportion of satisfactory outcomes (dispositions allowing court referral to treatment) throughout the operational years. In 1976 the satisfactory outcome rate was 86.3 percent. There was no significant difference in referral rates from 1973 to 1976. The annual percentage of conviction cases referred to treatment ranged between 61.1 percent and 63.9 percent. Overall system processing efficiency improved slightly during the final operational year, largely as a result of a decrease in the processing time for DWI conviction cases between 1975 and 1976. A profile comparison of 1976 disposition groups indicated that older DWI offenders had a greater likelihood of a guilty DWI disposition than younger offenders. Black offenders had higher conviction rates than white offenders. No differences were noted in disposition rates between males and females. Thirty-five tables and appendixes are provided in this final report. (Author abstract modified)