NCJ Number
100680
Journal
Howard Journal Volume: 24 Issue: 4 Dated: (November 1985) Pages: 241-256
Editor(s)
D Riley
Date Published
1985
Length
16 pages
Annotation
Both the 1982 and 1984 British Crime Surveys included questions about drinking and driving. These findings have been used to show that -- for a significant minority of drivers -- manipulating drink-driving laws and their enforcement probably represents an ineffective crime control strategy.
Abstract
The deterrent impact of legal sanctions is likely to be blunted by drivers' failure to recognize that they are committing an offense, by their failure to regard the offense in a serious light or by their limited understanding of the severity of legal penalties. Moreover, the difficulties of sustaining reductions in drink-driving in response to preceived increases in enforcement suggest that a broader-based approach to the problem posed by drinking drivers needs to be identified. The final section of the paper puts forward a number of initiatives which could have some long-term effect on the incidence of offending. (Author abstract)