NCJ Number
181039
Editor(s)
Elsie R. Shore,
Joseph R. Ferrari
Date Published
1998
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This project studied the variation in the rate of driving while intoxicated (DWI) in small communities in Erie County, New York, and it was hypothesized DWI prevention could be targeted at communities with high DWI rates. communities were DWI offenders reside and not where they were arrested were examined.
Abstract
The study focused on communities where DWI offenders resided and not where they were arrested. Bivariate Pearson correlations and multivariate techniques were used to examine associations between DWI and alcohol availability, spatial, and sociodemographic variables. The home address of every person who was convicted of a drinking and driving offense from 1990 to 1994 and who resided in Erie County was geo-coded. This provided a geographic reference that allowed the offenders to be aggregated into the appropriate census tract. Results showed that on-premises alcohol outlets were significantly related to the DWI rate. In addition, higher proportions of males, nonskilled occupations, and whites were significantly related to higher DWI rates. Findings confirmed a spatial pattern of DWI offenders in communities and demonstrated specific characteristics of high DWI communities can be used to more effectively target places and populations for DWI prevention programs. 35 references, 2 tables, and 1 figure