Treatment programs involving brief interventions by medical
care providers at emergency rooms after traumatic drunk driving crashes
have also shown promise. These interventions usually involve a brief alcohol
assessment followed by a short counseling session (15–20 minutes) or referral
to an alcohol treatment provider for further assessment and treatment. One
study at emergency rooms found reductions in alcohol use, injuries and DWI
citations in the year following this intervention (Gentilello et al. 1999).
Another study found this type of emergency room intervention increased the
proportion of patients seeking follow-up assessment and treatment for alcohol
problems (Runge et al. 2002).
Researchers report repeat DWI offenders frequently say all they want to
do is forget about the offense and get on with their lives. This often means
a quick return to drinking and driving. Early intervention that engages
the offender in regular reminders of his or her unacceptable behavior keeps
the impact of the arrest fresh and makes it more difficult to just forget
about it.
However, in many areas, backlogs in the court system have caused the time
elapsed from arrest to sentencing to grow to nine months or more. This delay
runs counter to the principle that sanctions applied soon after arrest are
a more effective deterrent than those imposed after long delays.
This time lag is a primary reason for the adoption of administratively imposed
sanctions. In addition, some localities have had success with oversight
programs designed to offer supervision and rehabilitation in the interval
between arrest and adjudication.
Early intervention may prevent several other problems occurring with repeat
offenders. Evidence suggests offenders who fail to appear at trial are an
increasing problem that is further burdening the justice system and leaving
a number of cases unresolved. This may be occurring more frequently with
unlicensed/suspended hardcore offenders who supply false identity information
at arrest and later "disappear." A pre-trial supervision program for multiple
offenders in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin offers a promising model for providing
drug and alcohol monitoring, support services and court notification for
the hardcore awaiting trial.
The Milwaukee Pre-Trial Intoxicated Driver Intervention Project places recidivists
in intensive alcohol treatment programs shortly after arrest instead of
after a conviction. Caseworkers screen, review, and assess repeat drunk
drivers and provide intensive supervision from arrest to trial. Program
evaluations show participants are 50 percent less likely to recidivate on
drunk driving charges (Rosnow 1997).
One drawback of early intervention programs is they may not always reach
the intended population. A study of hardcore offenders in Ohio found 62
percent of repeat offenders in the prison system never attended Ohio’s early
intervention program for alcoholism and substance abuse. The early intervention
program began in 1983 and was established to identify convicted DWI offenders
with drinking problems and refer them to service (Siegal et al. 2000). |
