ARRESTS OF WOMEN FOR DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE

Police records of arrests of women in Wichita, Kansas for driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol for a 5-year period (1980-1984) were studied. The proportion of arrests of women increased from 10.6 to 14.5% of total arrested. Women in their 20s comprised the largest age group; single women were greatly overrepresented. More than one-half of the arrested women were employed outside the home; a substantial proportion (30.8%) were unemployed at the time of arrest. The average blood alcohol level of those tested was 183 mg/dl. Characteristics of arrestees are discussed in terms of changes in the social roles and expectations of women. Although time of arrest was similar to that of men (ie, night), arrests of women were more evenly spread across the days of the week. Within the 5-year period, the rate of recidivism for DUI was 7.43%. The implications of arrest and recidivism patterns are discussed. A change in legal and arrest procedures was found to have the same effect on arrests of women as it had on those of men, suggesting that the changes did not produce differential treatment by police. (Author/TRRL)

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/0096882X
• Corporate Authors:

  Rutgers University, New Brunswick

  Center of Alcohol Studies
  New Brunswick, NJ  United States  08903
• Authors:
  • Shore, E R
  • McCoy, M L
  • Toonen, L A
  • Kuntz, E J
• Publication Date: 1988-1

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 7-10
• Serial:
  • Journal of Studies on Alcohol
  • Volume: 49
  • Issue Number: 1
  • Publisher: Rutgers University, New Brunswick
  • ISSN: 0096-882X

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Age; Arrests; Blood alcohol levels; Drivers; Drunk drivers; Drunk driving; Females; Recidivism; Social factors
• Old TRIS Terms: Female drivers
• ITRD Terms: 1757: Age; 1553: Blood alcohol content; 1772: Driver; 2231: Drunkenness; 1508: Offender; 1502: Penalty; 1519: Recidivist; 2253: Sociology; 8122: USA; 1788: Woman
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00480433
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-040 638
• Files: HSL, ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 31 1990 12:00AM