NCJ Number
74470
Date Published
1979
Length
32 pages
Annotation
The study evaluated the effectiveness of negligent operator (automobile driver) hearings in which probation was replaced with the imposition of 'no action' in the State of California.
Abstract
The study sample consisted of 6,489 drivers who attended negligent operator hearings. Of these drivers, 1,247, or 19 percent, were considered high risk; these drivers were screened from the no-action hearing program. The remaining 5,242 drivers were randomly assigned to either the group that received license status action as recommended (the standard treatment), or the group that had no action taken on their licenses. The later group thus received the experimental treatment. Study results indicated that no statistically significant driver record differences existed between the randomly assigned groups either 12 months prior to treatment or 12 months subsequent to treatment. However, the possibility that removal of departmental actions from the individual hearing setting may have had a detrimental effect could not be entirely dismissed. The societal savings associated with the observed nonsignificant decrease in fatal and injury accidents for those drivers not receiving actions may result in a positive net financial impact for an implemented no-action program. The high-risk group was examined in an attempt to determine if the high-risk screening criteria used in the study were valid. An analysis of the characteristics of the low and high-risk groups suggested that the high-risk group did not, in fact, have a higher accident expectancy rate than the nonhigh-risk group. Final program implementation recommendations are awaiting the outcome of a related study on probation by mail, which will evaluate the traffic safety implications of not holding a hearing but taking an action. Tables, figures, 17 references, exhibits, and appendixes of relates technical data are included. (Author abstract modified).