NCJ Number
87056
Date Published
1982
Length
132 pages
Annotation
Testimony from government officials, law enforcement, medical professionals, and citizens examines the extent of the drinking driver problem, the effectiveness of the criminal justice system in dealing with the problem, and ways in which the problem might be more effectively addressed.
Abstract
Representatives of the medical and statistics fields whose work has resulted in the compilation of data which document the extent of the consequences of driving while intoxicated (DWI) provide testimony that shows the seriousness of the problem, and victims report on the consequences of being victimized by drunk drivers. Testimony from a representative of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration details the results of nearly a decade of study of the problem and experimentation with various alternative law enforcement and treatment programs. This testimony generally finds current judicial processing and sentencing for DWI cases to be inadequate, even though existing laws are believed to be sufficiently strong to deal with the problem. A coordinated program that improves the judicial processing of DWI cases and the effectiveness of sanctions is recommended. Testimony from representatives of citizen action groups gives the benefit of their experience in seeking to focus attention on the drinking driver at the State and national levels, and legislative initiatives which have resulted from these efforts are discussed. The overall purpose of the testimony is to find ways in which the Federal Government can assume a partnership role with the States in training, education, and enforcement bearing upon the DWI problem. For individual entries, see NCJ 87057-59.