NCJ Number
74268
Date Published
1977
Length
12 pages
Annotation
The results are reported of an Alcohol Safety Action Program (ASAP) Enforcement Study in Fairfax County, Va., that was conducted to test whether area saturation patrols were an effective and efficient means of apprehending individuals in violation of alcohol-related traffic laws.
Abstract
High DWI driving while intoxicated arrest regions were established and each region was subdivided into two high arrest areas: a test area and a control area. In order to be comparable in terms of number of DWI arrests, miles driven and time to complete the route, circumferential routes around residential areas were used for high-level saturation patrols, with one patrol car passing any site about every 4 minutes. Analysis of experimental findings as focused on five areas: number of contacts with motorists, number of written warnings, number of DWI arrests, crash results, and cost effectiveness. Results indicated that the number of contacts with motorists and the number of written warnings appear to have increased, but DWI arrests, compared to baseline ASAP patrols, did not increase. The monitoring of 10 major intersections to compare crash results produced inconclusive data due to the small number of accidents within these intersections both before and after the study commenced. In addition, cost effectiveness data strongly suggest that saturation patrols are not economically feasible. It is concluded that saturation patrols are not an efficient technique for increasing DWI arrests because the geography of suburban areas makes them unsuited for a crisscross type of patrol. Also, the use of access highways around residential areas appears to encourage drivers to take alternate routes and does not deter drunk driving. Six tables, one figure, and an appendix containing a map of survey areas and a police contact form are provided.