General and Specific Deterrent Effects of DUI (Driving Under the Influence) Sanctions: A Review of California's Experience

• NCJ Number: 161341
• Journal: Alcohol, Drugs and Driving Volume: 7 Issue: 1 Dated: (January-March 1991) Pages: 13-42
• Author(s): R C Peck
• Date Published: 1991
• Length: 30 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Literature Review
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: DCC.

Annotation

This paper presents an overview of California Department of Motor Vehicles' research studies on drunk-driving recidivism correlates and the specific and general deterrent effects of various DUI (driving under the influence) countermeasures, particularly license-control actions and alcohol rehabilitation programs.

Abstract

Several studies published between 1976 and 1989 are reviewed, along with an analysis of previously unpublished data collected and analyzed specifically for this paper. The author concludes that there are a number of factors that differentiate recidivist drunk-driving offenders from nonrecidivist offenders, but the ability to predict individual recidivism is low. Two broad classes of variables predispose DUI offenders to increased risk of recidivism and increased alcohol-related accidents: indexes of problem drinking and elevated counts of prior accident and moving traffic violations. Other factors are gender (male), age (young), and socioeconomic status (blue collar). DUI offenders with recidivist profiles have much higher accident rates than those offenders with nonrecidivist profiles. Driver license suspension/revocation reduces accidents and DUI offenses by 30-50 percent during the period of suspension. This reduction is presumably mediated by reduced exposure and more lawful driving. Alcohol education and rehabilitation programs are apparently more effective than license suspension in reducing DUI recidivism. The formation of MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) and the State's 1982 DUI statutes have had positive effects (in the form of both specific and general deterrence) in reducing alcohol-related accidents and DUI recidivism in California. A countermeasure system that imposes both license suspension and alcohol education/rehabilitation should be more effective than either component alone. The recent enactment in California of an "administrative per se" license suspension law, in which DUI offenders are suspended upon arrest, is consistent with this strategy and should also increase the general deterrent impact of California's DUI control system. 18 references and 17 figures