NCJ Number
59141
Journal
Journal of Safety Research Volume: 10 Issue: 3 Dated: (FALL 1978) Pages: 130-138
Date Published
1978
Length
9 pages
Annotation
THE CITY OF PHOENIX ALCOHOL SAFETY ACTION PROJECT (ASAP) WAS ONE OF 35 DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMS FUNDED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. THE FOCUS WAS TO REDUCE ALCOHOL-RELATED AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENTS.
Abstract
BESIDES INCREASED ENFORCEMENT, COUNTERMEASURES INCLUDED JUDICIAL, REHABILITATION, AND PUBLIC INFORMATION AND EDUCATION ACTIVITIES. THE PERIOD OF THE OPERATION EXTENDED FROM 1972 THROUGH 1976. THE OVERALL GOAL OF THE ASAP WAS TO ACHIEVE A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN ALCOHOL-RELATED AUTOMOBILE CRASHES. BOUNDARIES FOR THE PHOENIX ASAP WERE THE CORPORATE CITY LIMITS, COVERING 276.6 SQUARE MILES. THE DIVISION OF FIELD OPERATIONS WITHIN THE PHOENIX POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS COMPOSED OF SIX BUREAUS, TWO OF WHICH ACCOUNTED FOR MOST DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED (DWI) CITATIONS: THE PATROL BUREAU AND THE TRAFFIC BUREAU. ONE TRAFFIC BUREAU SQUAD, DESIGNATED AS ASAP, EMPHASIZED DWI DETECTION AND APPREHENSION. A RELATIVELY COMPLETE SET OF DEMOGRAPHIC AND SITUATIONAL VARIABLES WAS COLLECTED ON CITATIONS FILED IN CITY COURT BETWEEN 1972 AND 1976. THESE DATA REVEALED THAT 90 PERCENT OF DWI OFFENDERS WERE MALE, AND THE MEAN AGE DROPPED FROM 35.1 TO 33.3 BETWEEN 1972 AND 1976, FOR AN AVERAGE OF 34.2 YEARS. THE DISTRIBUTION OF DWI OFFENDERS BY ORIGIN CLOSELY RESEMBLES U.S. CENSUS DATA: 73 PERCENT WHITE, 17 PERCENT MEXICAN AMERICAN, 6 PERCENT BLACK, AND 4 PERCENT INDIAN. BLUE-COLLAR WORKERS WERE SUBSTANTIALLY OVERREPRESENTED, WITH MORE THAN FOUR OUT OF FIVE ARRESTS COMING FROM THE RANKS OF LABORERS, SKILLED WORKERS, AND CLERICAL. LESS THAN 10 PERCENT WERE FROM THE PROFESSIONAL AND BUSINESS GROUPS. A SIZABLE INCREASE IN DRUNKEN DRIVING ARRESTS WAS ONE OF THE MAJOR OUTCOMES OF THE ASAP PHOENIX PROGRAM. GIVEN ADDITIONAL ALLOCATION OF MANPOWER AND OTHER RESOURCES, IT WAS POSSIBLE TO RAISE THE ARREST RATE 60 PERCENT DURING THE PROJECT'S FIRST YEAR. A TOTAL OF 11,729 CITATIONS WAS WRITTEN IN 1976, AN INCREASE OF 75 PERCENT FROM THE 1971 BASELINE YEAR. THE ASAP MOTORCYCLE SQUAD ACCOUNTED FOR 20 PERCENT OF ALL ARRESTS AND EXERTED A CATALYTIC EFFECT ON THE PERFORMANCE OF REGULAR POLICE OFFICERS. HOWEVER, THE SUBJECTIVE PROBABILITY OF ARREST REMAINED LOW, WITH LESS THAN ONE-THIRD OF THE DRIVING PUBLIC BELIEVING THE RISK OF APPREHENSION TO BE HIGH. TABULAR DATA AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (PRG)