ASCERTAINING POLICE BIAS IN ARRESTS FOR DRUNKEN DRIVING

OF THE 640 MEN AGED 25 TO 54 ARRESTED FOR DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED (ADWI) IN SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIF., AND THE 383 IN THE FRANKLIN COUNTY (COLUMBUS METROPOLITAN AREA), OHIO, DURING THE FIRST 6 MONTHS OF 1962, ABOUT ONE-THIRD HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENTS. THE ARREST-VULNERABILITY (A-V) RATIOS (PERCENTAGE OF ADWI: PERCENTAGE IN CENSUS TRACT) BY ETHNICITY, HOWEVER, WERE MORE THAN TWICE AS HIGH AMONG THE SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED SECTORS IN BOTH COUNTIES: 1.90 VS 0.89 FOR THE SPANISH (MEXICAN) VS NON-SPANISH WHITES IN SANTA CLARA, 1.98 VS 0.86 FOR THE NEGROES VS WHITES IN FRANKLIN. A-V RATIOS ALSO INCREASED AS PERCENTAGES OF UNEMPLOYMENT AND BROKEN HOMES INCREASED AND AS ECONOMIC STATUS AND HOME OWNERSHIP DECLINED IN THE CENSUS TRACTS OF RESIDENCE. POTENTIAL POLICE BIAS AGAINST THE DISADVANTAGED GROUPS WAS MEASURED BY COMPARING (1) THE PERCENTAGES OF ADWI INVOLVED IN ACCIDENTS, AND (2) THEIR BLOOD ALCOHOL CONCENTRATIONS (BAC) ACCORDING TO ETHNICITY AND THE ABOVE 4 SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CENSUS-TRACT VARIABLES. IN SANTA CLARA, NONE OF THE 4 VARIABLES WERE SIGNIFICANTLY RELATED TO ACCIDENT INVOLVEMENT ALTHOUGH A SIGNIFICANTLLY GREATER PERCENTAGE OF SPANISH-AMERICAN ADWI (40.4 VS 29.9%) WAS INVOLVED IN ACCIDENTS; WITH RESPECT TO BAC, ONLY THOSE FROM CENSUS TRACTS WITH HIGH PROPORTIONS OF BROKEN HOMES HAD SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER BAC THAN OTHER ADWI. IN FRANKLIN COUNTY ETHNICITY WAS NOT SIGNIFICANTLY ASSOCIATED WITH ACCIDENT INVOLVEMENT. HOWEVER, THOSE LIVING IN CENSUS TRACTS WITH HIGH PROPORTIONS OF BROKEN HOMES AND LOW PROPORTIONS OF HOME OWNERSHIP HAD SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER URINE ALCOHOL CONCENTRATIONS THAN OTHER ADWI. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE HIGH ADWI RATE AMONG THE MINORITY AND DISADVANTAGED GROUPS PROBABLY REFLECTS ACCURATELY A GREATER FREQUENCY OF DRUNKEN DRIVING AMONG THEM RATHER THAN A POLICE BIAS IN ARRESTS. /AUTHOR/

• Authors:
  • HYMAN, M M
  • HELRICH, A R
  • BESSON, G
• Publication Date: 1972-3

Media Info

• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 148-59
• Serial:
  • Quarterly Journal of Studies on Alcohol
  • Volume: 33
  • Issue Number: 1
  • Publisher: Rutgers University, New Brunswick

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Arrests; Blood alcohol levels; Drivers; Drunk driving; Ethics; Human characteristics; Low income groups; Police; Social factors; Statistical bias; Traffic crashes
• Uncontrolled Terms: Disadvantaged persons; Driver characteristics
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00224173
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Nat Safety Council Safety Res Info Serv
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 8 1973 12:00AM