NCJ Number
101446
Date Published
1986
Length
12 pages
Annotation
Guidelines and suggestions are given for use by public information directors of agencies or groups in conducting campaigns against drunk driving.
Abstract
Public information emphasizes what is being done about the problem and who is doing it, whereas public education is a lengthy effort to educate society about why drinking and driving do not mix. Public information should cover local and technical road improvements, enforcement programs, adjudication changes, legal revisions, and grassroots efforts that follow official policies. An agency's public information effort should include both informing the public about the agency's actions and gathering complaints, suggestions, and other feedback. Organization is essential for a campaign against drunk driving. Address and telephone lists should include student, civic, professional, and religious print and electronic media. The information should make the public aware both of the problem of intoxicated drivers and of the possibility of changing the situation. Preventing the offense is more desirable than deciding what to do with offenders. However, no single program based on deterrence has had a lasting effect. A comprehensive program of primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention is needed. A combination of personal experience for the public and exposure to media advertisements and news coverage is probably the best way to make people aware of the problem's significance. Step-by-step guidelines for initiating and conducting a public information campaign are included. 4 references.