NCJ Number
57945
Date Published
1976
Length
359 pages
Annotation
THIS VOLUME DESCRIBES AND EVALUATES A SEATTLE, WASH., DEMONSTRATION PROJECT DESIGNED TO TEST THE IMPACT OF AN INFORMAL HEARING SYSTEM THAT USES REHABILITATION PROGRAMS ON DRIVERS COMMITTING MINOR TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS.
Abstract
THE PROJECT, TERMED SPECIAL ADJUDICATION FOR ENFORCEMENT (SAFE), WAS FUNDED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND OPERATED FROM JUNE 1974 THROUGH JUNE 1976. VIOLATIONS INVOLVED IN SAFE INCLUDED SPEEDING, CERTAIN ACCIDENT CASES, REPEATED INFRACTIONS, AND DRIVING WITHOUT A VALID LICENSE. INSTEAD OF A FORMAL COURT PROCEEDING, INFORMAL HEARINGS WERE HELD, FOLLOWING WHICH THE MAGISTRATES SENTENCED DEFENDANTS ACCORDING TO THEIR BEST JUDGMENTS OR TO GUIDELINES WHICH INCLUDED PREDETERMINED SENTENCES FOR ONE-THIRD OF THE DEFENDANTS. IN ADDITION, MAGISTRATES RANDOMLY SELECTED 10 PERCENT OF DEFENDANTS FOR FORMAL COURT AND 5 PERCENT TO FORFEIT BAIL. MAGISTRATES COULD FINE DEFENDANTS OR REFER THEM TO DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES ANALYSTS FOR FURTHER EVALUATION. COMPARISONS SHOWED THAT SAFE PARTICIPANTS WERE SIGNIFICANTLY SLOWER TO COMMIT FURTHER TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS THAN WERE COURT OR FORFEITURE CASES. IN ADDITION, SAFE PARTICIPANTS HAD A SMALL, BUT SIGNIFICANT, REDUCTION IN OTHER MOVING VIOLATIONS, BUT NOT IN ACCIDENT INVOLVEMENT AS COMPARED TO THE OTHER GROUPS. DIRECT COST PER CASE WAS $13.22 FOR SAFE, $40 FOR FORMAL COURTS, AND $9 FOR BAIL FORFEITURE. THE PROGRAM'S MAJOR BENEFITS RESULTED FROM THE SPECIFIC REHABILITATION PROGRAMS RATHER THAN FROM THE INFORMAL HEARINGS, BUT THE PROGRAMS VARIED IN THEIR EFFECTIVENESS. DEFENSIVE DRIVING COURSES REDUCED RECIDIVISM; THE AMOUNT OF A FINE HAD NO EFFECT ON RECIDIVISM. THUS, THE PROGRAM GENERATED DATA FOR DEVELOPING IMPROVED PROCEDURES FOR DEALING WITH TRAFFIC OFFENDERS. SOME OF THE PROGRAMS COULD BE APPLIED ELSEWHERE. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS, EXPENDITURE REPORT, EXTENSIVE TABLES AND FIGURES, AND NUMEROUS APPENDIXES, ARE INCLUDED. (CFW)