SATURATED ENFORCEMENT: THE EFFICACY OF DETERRENCE AND DRUNK DRIVING

Deterrence theory generally finds support among studies focusing on changes in apprehension certainty, in punishment celerity, or in punishment severity. However, scientific evidence establishing a clear deterrent effect of criminal justice institutions on criminal behavior remains problematic partly because of measurement, design and/or experimental control difficulties. This study attempts to overcome some of these methodological difficulties by measuring deterrence in a drunk driving enforcement program in a small Wisconsin city. It demonstrates a statistically significant relationship between a carefully designed enforcement program and driver response measured by accident rates. This finding is contrary to some recent studies challenging the efficacy of enforcement efforts aimed at traffic accident reductions. A general discussion of deterrence and enforcement amplifies the findings and conclusions. A word of caution is added regarding the findings.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00472352
• Corporate Authors:

  Pergamon Press, Incorporated

  Headington Hill Hall
  Oxford OX30BW,    
• Authors:
  • Sykes, G W
• Publication Date: 1984

Media Info

• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 185-197
• Serial:
  • Journal of Criminal Justice
  • Volume: 12
  • Issue Number: 2
  • Publisher: Elsevier Science
  • ISSN: 0047-2352

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crash rates; Drivers; Drunk drivers; Drunk driving; Measurement; Measures of effectiveness; Penalties; Reaction time; Safety; Traffic arrests; Traffic law enforcement; Traffic safety
• Uncontrolled Terms: Deterrence; Driver reaction; Effectiveness
• Subject Areas: Highways; Law; Safety and Human Factors; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00395975
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-038 178
• Files: HSL, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Jul 31 1985 12:00AM