Recent research has shown that during the early
1990s New Mexico had one of the highest alcohol-related accident and
fatality rates in the United States. In December 1995, a judge
presiding in the Las Cruces, New Mexico, Municipal Court launched a
driving while intoxicated (DWI) drug court pilot project. The purpose
of this study was twofold. First researchers wanted to assess the
benefits of the drug court in an effort to determine its future
viability by examining the behaviors and attitudes of three groups of
convicted drunk-drivers and determining the extent to which these
groups were different or similar. The three groups included: (1)
non-alcoholic first- and second-time offenders (non-alcoholic
offenders), (2) alcoholic first- and second-time DWI offenders
(alcoholic offenders), and (3) chronic three-time (or more) DWI
offenders (chronic offenders). The second purpose of this study was to
explore police officers' attitudes toward court-based treatment
programs for DWI offenders, while examining the distinguishing
characteristics between police officers who support court-based
programs for drunk drivers and those who are less likely to support
such sanctions.
Data for Part 1 were collected using a survey
questionnaire distributed to non-alcoholic, alcoholic, and chronic
offenders. At each DWI Drug Court session held in Las Cruces'
Municipal Court during the time period February 24, 1997, to January
26, 1998, the presiding judge sentenced all newly convicted DWI
offenders. Once sentencing was over, the judge asked all offenders
(regardless of the sentence) to talk with members of the research
team. There were usually three members of the research team present at
each sentencing session. All convicted drunk-drivers designated by
the court as either alcoholic offenders or chronic offenders were
approached by researchers for participation in the study. Five
non-alcoholic offenders were randomly selected during each session and
approached for participation in the study. The researchers informed
each offender of the general purpose of the study and of his or her
right to refuse to participate in the study. Those agreeing to
participate were given a questionnaire to complete, which on average
took between 20 and 45 minutes to complete. Each participant who
completed a questionnaire was compensated monetarily. Data for Part 2
were collected using a survey questionnaire designed to capture what
police officers knew about the DWI Drug Court, where they learned
about it, and what factors accounted for their attitudes toward the
program. The survey instrument contained forced choice five-point
Likert scale questions, visual analogs, and multiple choice and
ranking questions as well as open-ended questions on police attitudes
toward DWI legislation and policies. The survey also consisted of a
four-question leniency index that measured officers' decisions not to
arrest. The questionnaire was distributed to all police from the
sheriff's department, the state police, a nearby campus police
department, and a neighboring metropolitan police department who had the
opportunity to arrest DWI offenders during March, April, and May of
1997.
Random sampling was used in Part 1.
Part 1: All persons convicted of DWI by the Las Cruces
Municipal Court between February 24, 1997, and January 26, 1998. Part
2: Police officers who had the opportunity to arrest DWI offenders
during March, April, and May of 1997.
Individuals
self-enumerated questionnaires
survey data
Part 1 variables include blood alcohol level, jail
time, total number of prior arrests and convictions, the level of
support from the respondents' family and friends, and whether the
respondent thought DWI was wrong, could cause injury, or ruin lives.
Respondents were also asked whether they acted spontaneously in
general, took risks, found trouble exciting, ever assaulted anyone,
ever destroyed property, ever extorted money, ever sold or used drugs,
thought lying or stealing was OK, ever stole a car, attempted breaking
and entering, or had been a victim of extortion. Demographic variables
for Part 1 include the age, gender, race, and marital status of each
respondent. Variables for Part 2 include police officers' responses to
whether DWI court was effective, whether DWI laws were successful, the
perceived effect of mandatory jail time versus treatment alone, major
problems seen with DWI policies, if DWI was considered dangerous, and
how the officer had learned or been briefed about the drug
court. Other variables include the number of DWI arrests, and whether
respondents believed that reforms weaken police power, that DWI causes
more work for them, that citizens have bad attitudes, that the public
has too many rights, and that stiffer penalties for DWI offenders were
more successful.
The completion rate for Part 1 was 77.9
percent. The response rate for Part 2 was 58 percent.
Several Likert-type scales were used.