NCJ Number
140239
Journal
International Journal of the Addictions Volume: 27 Issue: 7 Dated: (1992) Pages: 793-816
Date Published
1992
Length
24 pages
Annotation
Data from a national survey of 5,785 jail inmates were used to compare inmates jailed for driving under the influence (DUI) with other offenders on social characteristics, prior criminality, drug abuse, and alcohol use to determine whether DUI inmates represent a distinct category of offenders for whom jail is a new experience.
Abstract
The data came from the 1983 Survey of Inmates of Local Jails conducted by the Bureau of the Census under the auspices of the Bureau of Justice Statistics. The survey used personal interviews with inmates from a stratified random sample of 407 local jails. The DUI offenders were more likely to be white and older than all other inmates, but this may relate to either drinking or driving and not necessarily to the offenses connected with drinking and driving. DUI offenders were as likely to have prior arrests as other jail inmates, and many had substantial histories of property and violent offenses. The DUI offenders varied considerably with respect to both alcohol use and criminal history. Further research should explore the variations within the DUI group.