NCJ Number
131886
Journal
Criminal Justice and Behavior Volume: 18 Issue: 3 Dated: (September 1991) Pages: 251-266
Date Published
1991
Length
16 pages
Annotation
The Gunther special, an innovative sentencing program for youthful DUI offenders based on deterrence rational, is evaluated regarding its recidivism rate.
Abstract
A group of 168 offenders completing the program and 168 individually matched controls obtained though the Sacramento County Municipal Court participated in the study between September 1985 and December 1988. Program requirements included a visit to the morgue to view bodies of accident victims, a 4-hour Saturday night visit to a hospital emergency room, a 1-hour education/counseling interview with a family nurse practitioner, and a 1,000-word essay to be presented to the court within 6 months reflecting on these experiences. The evaluation compared the reconviction rate for an alcohol related moving violation of those completing the program with the reconviction rate of the control group of DUI offenders not exposed to the program and observed over a follow-up period of equal length. The data presented in this paper indicate that this program had no additional impact on rates of DUI recidivism among youthful offenders beyond the effects of the standard penalties of fines, probation, and jail time or license restriction. One of the reasons for the failure of the program is attributed to the absence of a drinking behavior modification component in the program. 4 tables, 2 notes, and 19 references (Author abstract modified)