NCJ Number
74831
Date Published
1979
Length
163 pages
Annotation
This study examines the activities of presentence investigation, drinker diagnosis, alcohol treatment referral, and rehabilitation countermeasures of the South Dakota Alcohol Safety Action Project (ASAP) over the 4-year operational period from 1972 through 1975.
Abstract
A total of 8,800 persons, 76 percent of the driving while intoxicated (DWI) convictions, were referred by the courts to ASAP for presentence investigation and drinker diagnosis. Eighty percent of the diagnosed cases were subsequently referred to some form of alcohol treatment or driver re-education program. Sixty percent of the referrals successfully completed their assigned programs. An analysis of the drinker diagnosis procedures showed the reliability (consistency) of the resulting drinker classes to be largely dependent on the person making the final diagnostic decision, but that the system could be easily improved by establishing standards for weighting the various presentence investigation input variables. DWI recidivism data were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the rehabilitation programs and no evidence could be found that any of the treatment programs was effective in modifying drunk driving behavior. Flow charts, data tables, graphs, and two references are included. Appendixes contain individual treatment modality summary tables, selected outpatient treatment program descriptions, and the annual rehabilitation recidivists table from 1975. (Author abstract modified).