NCJ Number
147899
Journal
International Journal of Comparative and Applied Criminal Justice Volume: 17 Issue: 2 Dated: (Fall 1993) Pages: 273-280
Date Published
1993
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This article examines three Danish judges from different jurisdictions in regard to sentencing DUI offenders. A comparison is made between DUI, property, and personal offenses in Denmark.
Abstract
The purpose of this pilot study is to explore whether the United States could benefit from following current Scandinavian approaches to the problem of drunk drivers. The literature indicates that at times there is a discrepancy between stated policy and sentencing practices. Scandinavian policy mandates harsher sentences for drunk drivers than is typical in the United States; data discussed in this article offer factual support that the policy is in place. Sentences imposed by the three Danish judges studied were notably uniform and were harsher than sentences for similar offenses in the United States. The lower incidence of alcohol-related fatalities in Scandinavian countries, when compared to the United States, leads to the question of whether implementation of more severe penalties, e.g., jail terms for first offenders, would deter drunk driving and related fatalities if adopted by the United States. Tables, references