PROBATION AS A DUI COUNTERMEASURE: ALONE AND COMBINED WITH TRADITIONAL PROGRAMS

The Mississippi DUI Probation Follow-Up Project took place from July 1, 1975, to July 31, 1981. The project incorporated 5,096 convicted drinking drivers who were classified as nonproblem or problem drinkers and randomly assigned to: (1) probation, (2) rehabilitation, (3) probation plus rehabilitation, or (4) control (no treatment). Probation was of the contact variety but not intensive (12 monthly sessions totaling no more than 6 hours of contact). Rehabilitation was alcohol safety school (for nonproblem drinkers) or group therapy (for problem drinkers). The objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of probation compared to traditional countermeasures. The primary evaluation criterion was rearrests through 24 months of tracking. Secondary evaluation criteria included rearrests through 36 months (available on early entries only), accidents, and changes in lifestyle as measured by the Life Activities Inventory. Neither probation nor the traditional treatments showed conclusive evidence of effectiveness with either nonproblem or problem drinkers. There was, however, strong validity evidence for the drinker classification scheme: significantly more rearrests, accidents, injuries, and serious injuries among problem drinkers. Alternative drinker classification schemes were also evaluated. Thorough cost/benefit analyses were completed, and alternative cost/benefit models developed and compared. An unexpected treatment effect of the Life Activities Inventory was strongly suggested, though only among nonproblem drinkers.

• Corporate Authors:

  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Neff, R L
  • Landrum, J W
  • Windham, G O
  • Miles, S M
• Publication Date: 1983

Media Info

• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 5-24
• Serial:
  • Traffic Safety Evaluation Research Review
  • Volume: 2
  • Issue Number: 3
  • Publisher: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Activity choices; Benefit cost analysis; Countermeasures; Driver rehabilitation; Drunk drivers; Drunk driving; Life styles; Measures of effectiveness; Probation
• Uncontrolled Terms: Effectiveness; Rehabilitation
• Old TRIS Terms: Life activities inventory
• Subject Areas: Highways; Law; Safety and Human Factors; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00391693
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-037 146
• Files: HSL, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Dec 30 1984 12:00AM