Programmer's Perspective on Implementing a Drinking and Driving Countermeasure at the Community Level (From Research, Action, and the Community: Experience in the Prevention of Alcohol and Other Drug Problems, P 117-123, 1990, Norman Giesbrecht, Peter Conley, et al., eds. -- See NCJ-128273)

• NCJ Number: 128286
• Author(s): R J E Caverson
• Date Published: 1990
• Length: 7 pages
• Sale Source: Superintendent of Documents, GPO; National Institute of Justice/; NCJRS Photocopy Services
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Paper presented at the Symposium on Experiences with Community Action Projects for the Prevention of Alcohol and Other Drug Problems, March 1989, Scarborough, Ontario, Canada

Annotation

The Sober Driver Program, implemented by the Addiction Research Foundation of Ontario, Canada, is directed at nondrinking drivers and seeks to reinforce their law-abiding behavior by thanking and rewarding them with a plastic license folder.

Abstract

Concurrently, an extensive media campaign informs the community of the program. During program implementation and evaluation, various challenges were encountered in working with the police, media, and sponsors. It became apparent that internal police issues influenced program implementation. One police issue, for example, was the difference between police officers who believed in a law enforcement approach and those who believed in preventive efforts. Successful program implementation required being sensitive to internal police force structure, insuring that proper protocols were always followed, encouraging communication between police departments, and assuring that everyone involved in the program was kept informed. Other difficulties encountered in the course of the program involved data retrieval, the public image of police, media support, and media coverage challenges. Guidelines for replicating the Sober Driver Program are offered that focus on contracting, program benefits, program consistency, personnel challenges, the importance of collaboration, competitive community forces, timing, research support, and program marketing. 2 references