Drunk-driving Offenders Research Articles

Knowledge and behaviors of drunk-driving offenders in Guangzhou, China

Jia, K., Fleiter, J., King, M., Sheehan, M., Ma, W., & Zhang, J. (2015). Knowledge and behaviors of drunk-driving offenders in Guangzhou, China. The International Journal Of Alcohol And Drug Research, 4(2), 151-158. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.7895/ijadr.v4i2.203Aims: To better understand the knowledge and behaviors of drunk-driving offenders relating to alcohol use and driving in thecontext of recently amended Chinese legislation, and to investigate the involvement of alcohol-use disorders.Design: The study was a cross-sectional survey conducted in 2012.Setting and participants: Data were collected at a local jail and 101 participants were recruited while in detention.Measures: Questionnaire items examined demographic characteristics as well as practices and knowledge relating to alcohol useand driving. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) was used to assess hazardous drinking levels.Findings: Knowledge about the two legal limits for “drink driving” and for “drunk driving” was low, at 28.3% and 41.4%,respectively. AUDIT scores indicated that a substantial proportion of the offenders had high levels of alcohol-use disorders.Higher AUDIT scores were found among the least experienced drivers, those who lacked knowledge about the legal limits, andrecidivist drunk drivers.Conclusions: Limited awareness of legal alcohol limits might contribute to offending; high AUDIT scores suggest thathazardous drinking levels may also contribute. This study provides important information to assist in refining communityeducation and prevention efforts.

Knowledge and behaviors of drunk-driving offenders in Guangzhou, China

Jia, K., Fleiter, J., King, M., Sheehan, M., Ma, W., & Zhang, J. (2015). Knowledge and behaviors of drunk-driving offenders in Guangzhou, China. The International Journal Of Alcohol And Drug Research, 4(2), 151-158. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.7895/ijadr.v4i2.203Aims: To better understand the knowledge and behaviors of drunk-driving offenders relating to alcohol use and driving in thecontext of recently amended Chinese legislation, and to investigate the involvement of alcohol-use disorders.Design: The study was a cross-sectional survey conducted in 2012.Setting and participants: Data were collected at a local jail and 101 participants were recruited while in detention.Measures: Questionnaire items examined demographic characteristics as well as practices and knowledge relating to alcohol useand driving. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) was used to assess hazardous drinking levels.Findings: Knowledge about the two legal limits for “drink driving” and for “drunk driving” was low, at 28.3% and 41.4%,respectively. AUDIT scores indicated that a substantial proportion of the offenders had high levels of alcohol-use disorders.Higher AUDIT scores were found among the least experienced drivers, those who lacked knowledge about the legal limits, andrecidivist drunk drivers.Conclusions: Limited awareness of legal alcohol limits might contribute to offending; high AUDIT scores suggest thathazardous drinking levels may also contribute. This study provides important information to assist in refining communityeducation and prevention efforts.

Usefulness of indirect alcohol biomarkers for predicting recidivism of drunk‐driving among previously convicted drunk‐driving offenders: results from the Recidivism Of Alcohol‐impaired Driving (ROAD) study

In several European countries, drivers under the influence (DUI), suspected of chronic alcohol abuse are referred for medical and psychological examination. This study (the ROAD study, or Recidivism Of Alcohol-impaired Driving) investigated the usefulness of indirect alcohol biomarkers for predicting drunk-driving recidivism in previously convicted drunk-driving offenders. The ROAD study is a prospective study (2009-13) that was performed on 517 randomly selected drivers in Belgium. They were convicted for drunk-driving for which their licence was confiscated. The initial post-arrest blood samples were collected and analysed for percentage carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (%CDT), transaminsase activities [alanine amino transferase (ALT), aspartate amino transferase (AST)], gamma-glutamyltransferase (γGT) and red cell mean corpuscular volume (MCV). The observation time for each driver was 3 years and dynamic. A logistic regression analysis revealed that ln(%CDT) (P < 0.001), ln(γGT) (P < 0.01) and ln(ALT) (P < 0.05) were the best biochemical predictors of recidivism of drunk-driving. The ROAD index (which includes ln(%CDT), ln(γGT), -ln(ALT) and the sex of the driver) was calculated and had a significantly higher area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (0.71) than the individual biomarkers for drunk-driving recidivism. Drivers with a high risk of recidivating (ROAD index ≥ 25%; third tertile) could be distinguished from drivers with an intermediate risk (16% ≤ ROAD index < 25%; second tertile; P < 0.001) and a low recidivism risk (ROAD index < 16%; first tertile; P < 0.05). Of all routinely used indirect alcohol markers, percentage of carbohydrate-deficient transferrin is the major predictor of recidivism of drunk-driving. The association with gamma-glutamyltransferase, alanine amino transferase and the sex of the driver could have additional value for identifying drunk-drivers at intermediate risk of recidivism. Non-specific indirect alcohol markers, such as alanine amino transferase, gamma-glutamyltransferase, aspartate amino transferase and red cell mean corpuscular volume have minimal added value to % carbohydrate-deficient transferrin for distinguishing drunk drivers with a low or high risk of recidivism.

Race and Context in the Criminal Labeling of Drunk Driving Offenders

This research seeks to add a new dimension to the growing body of literature investigating disparities in sentencing outcomes. Our study used multilevel modeling techniques to incorporate legal and extralegal individual-level variables with macro-level data in an examination of the factors influencing the formal application of the criminal label when identical noncriminal sanctions are available. Results suggest that measures of police racial profiling are predictive of unfavorable plea outcomes and subsequent application of a criminal label. Findings indicated that the likelihood of receiving an unfavorable criminal plea bargain was greater for men, non-Whites, defendants with a prior arrest, defendants arrested in areas of low concentrated disadvantage, and defendants arrested in areas with high levels of racial profiling. In addition, both concentrated disadvantage and stop disparity conditioned the effect of race on plea outcome.

Driving Themselves to Drink: Qualitative Perspectives From “Hardcore” DUI Repeat Offenders in Ohio

Despite the continuing problem of repeat drunk driving (DUI) offenders, little is known of the characteristics of this population. This article reports findings from qualitative interviews with 12 incarcerated men who had been convicted for 5 or more DUIs. Participants' sociodemographic characteristics, patterns of substance abuse, treatment history, attitudes toward positive behavioral change, and recommendations for improving treatment are described. Three groups were identified in regard to the degree of recognition of substance abuse and level of motivation to engage in treatment and post-release rehabilitation. Participants also offered suggestions to improve treatment strategies for repeat DUI offenders by tailoring diverse educational and counseling programs that target the differing types of DUI recidivists. The findings provide preliminary qualitative insight into a unique population that may be used to inform future studies.

Cognitive Predictors of Alcohol Involvement and Alcohol Consumption–Related Consequences in a Sample of Drunk-Driving Offenders

Motivational theories of alcohol involvement emphasize a wide range of cognitive factors as precursors to “heavy” or high-risk drinking. Central to this consideration has been expectancies, drinking urges, triggers, and situational cues, all of which can synergistically or independently stimulate drinking. Unfortunately, empirical studies have scrutinized low-level or moderate drinkers drawn from the general population, and less is known about the role of cognitive factors as precursors to high-risk drinking. The present study examines the unique contribution of several measures of cognitive motivation to harmful alcohol use in a sample of convicted drunk drivers. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated the psychometric soundness of a model positing four latent predictor constructs assessing drinking urges/triggers, situational cues, positive and negative expectancies and outcome constructs assessing harmful alcohol use and perceived consequences of harmful drinking. A structural equation model indicated that each motivational construct was associated uniquely with both drinking and perceived consequences, with the largest overall effect in both cases associated with situational cues. Results are discussed in terms of identifying prominent cognitive factors that may foster harmful drinking among high-risk populations and their implications for treatment.

Comparison of HPLC and Capillary Electrophoresis for Confirmatory Testing of the Alcohol Misuse Marker Carbohydrate-Deficient Transferrin

The major form of the iron-transport glycoprotein transferrin in blood contains 2 N-linked disialylated biantennary oligosaccharide chains (glycans) and is named tetrasialotransferrin. Regular high alcohol consumption (mean of at least 50–80 g/day) generally alters the glycosylation profile of transferrin (1), increasing the relative amounts of glycoforms lacking one (disialotransferrin) or both (asialotransferrin) N-glycans (2)(3). The alcohol-related glycoforms are collectively referred to as carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT). CDT measurements are widely used for identifying individuals with alcohol problems in various medical settings (e.g., addiction treatment) and for monitoring abstinence from alcohol in outpatient treatment programs (e.g., when drunk-driving offenders reapply for a driver’s license) (4). When drinking is discontinued, the CDT concentration normalizes with a half-life of 1.5–2 weeks (5)(6). The main advantage of CDT over the conventional alcohol biomarkers, such as the liver function test γ-glutamyltransferase, is the higher specificity for alcohol misuse with resulting lower risk for false-positive identifications (7)(8). Since the discovery of CDT as an alcohol marker (1), a multitude of analytical techniques and methods have been applied for its measurement (1)(9). The most widely used assays worldwide today are the Axis-Shield %CDT immunoassay and various automated applications thereof, such as %CDT TIA from Bio-Rad and Tina-quant® %CDT from Roche (10)(11). These assays are based on ion-exchange minicolumn chromatographic isolation of the CDT fraction, separate measurement of CDT and total transferrin using the same transferrin antibody, and calculating CDT as a percentage of total transferrin (%CDT). Immunologic methods are convenient and time-efficient for routine use in central laboratories with high specimen throughput, but because these tests separate CDT from non-CDT moieties on the basis of differences in isoelectric point (pI), they will be disturbed by genetic transferrin polymorphisms (12) and by congenital disorders of glycosylation (13), which …

Are drunk-driving offenders referred for screening accurately reporting their drug use?

Several studies report that a substantial percentage of offenders arrested for impaired driving test positive for drugs of abuse besides alcohol. Current guidelines recommend screening offenders for both alcohol and other drug use, yet little is known about the accuracy of self-reports of drug use in this population. We compared drug abuse and dependence DSM-III-R diagnoses from an initial, court-ordered screening evaluation of 583 female and 495 male convicted drunk-driving offenders with diagnoses obtained via a voluntary, non-coerced interview 5 years later. At initial screening, fewer than 6% of offenders were diagnosed with drug abuse or dependence. Among offenders who did not receive an initial drug diagnosis, 28% subsequently reported having experienced drug use problems consistent with a retrospective diagnosis of drug abuse or dependence by the age at which they were screened. Half of those with a retrospective diagnosis of drug dependence reported their initial screening responses were “very accurate”. We conclude that, although many drunk-driving offenders undergoing screening have diagnosable drug problems, a high proportion under-report their drug use. We suggest that certain modifications to screening procedures, such as urine drug screening, reducing barriers to treatment, and training counselors in motivational interviewing techniques, may increase accurate identification of drug use problems in this population.

Prevalence of psychiatric disorders among persons convicted of driving while impaired.

Large numbers of convicted drunk drivers are entering alcohol treatment programs, yet little information is available about their need for psychiatric treatment. This study of convicted drunk drivers estimates lifetime and 12-month prevalence of DSM-III-R psychiatric disorders (alcohol and drug abuse and dependence, major depressive disorder, dysthymic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, and antisocial personality disorder) and compares rates with estimates from a US population-based survey. Six hundred twelve women and 493 men, aged 23 to 54 years, convicted of driving while impaired, who had been referred to a screening program in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, were located and interviewed using the Diagnostic Interview Schedule between January 25, 1994, and June 30, 1997. Psychiatric diagnoses were compared with findings from the National Comorbidity Survey for the western region of the United States, conducted between September 14, 1990, and February 6, 1992. Eighty-five percent of female and 91% of male offenders reported a lifetime alcohol-use disorder, compared with 22% and 44%, respectively, in the National Comorbidity Survey sample. Thirty-two percent of female and 38% of male offenders had a drug-use disorder, compared with 16% and 21%, respectively, in the National Comorbidity Survey sample. For offenders with alcohol-use disorders, 50% of women and 33% of men had at least 1 additional psychiatric disorder other than drug abuse or dependence, mainly posttraumatic stress disorder or major depression. Drunk-driving offenders need assessment and treatment services not only for alcohol problems but also for drug use and the other psychiatric disorders that commonly accompany alcohol-related problems.

Do Risk Factors for Re‐Arrest Differ for Female and Male Drunk‐Driving Offenders?

The present study investigated gender differences in factors affecting recidivism among 628 female and 659 male drunk-driving offenders. The study population included residents from New Mexico who completed a screening program for offenders and who were still residents when contacted 5 years later. Risk factors for re-arrest in the 5-year period after screening referral were examined using multiple logistic regression models. Predictor variables included gender, age, ethnicity, education, marital status, blood alcohol concentration at arrest, parental alcohol problems, spousal alcohol problems, lifetime use of cannabis, cocaine, or amphetamines, abusive behavior toward spouse, and scores on two standardized assessments. Risk factors for re-arrest were similar for males and females except that young age predicted higher recidivism among males but not females. The overall 5-year re-arrest rate was 26%-20% for women, 38% for males age 30 and under, and 24% for males age 31 and older. Young age predicts re-arrest for males but not for females. Neither the type of risk factors nor the number of risk factors fully explained female offenders' disproportionately lower recidivism rates, compared with young males.

Do Risk Factors for Re-Arrest Differ for Female and Male Drunk-Driving Offenders?

Do Risk Factors for Re-Arrest Differ for Female and Male Drunk-Driving Offenders?

Effects of administrative license revocation on employment

This study addresses the impact of administrative license revocation (ALR) on the employment and income of first and multiple drunk-driving (DUI) offenders. It also inquires into the impact of alcohol-related crashes on the employment of other persons involved in such crashes (i.e. innocent drivers, passengers and pedestrians). Questionnaires were completed by 579 first-time offenders and 233 multiple offenders at alcohol education schools and treatment programs in four counties in four states, which represented varying ALR laws: Chester County, PA (without ALR); Anne Arundel County, MD (ALR with immediate hardship license available); Marin County, CA (30-day hard license suspension); and New Castle County, DE (90-day hard license suspension). Completed crash `victim' surveys were returned by 146 crash victims from Pennsylvania, California and Delaware. The study found that ALR does not have a major impact on the DUI offender's job and income. Alcohol-involved crashes can have a great impact on seriously injured victims, but the proportion of DUI crashes producing serious injury is quite low. Most DUI is crash-free, and most crashes do not involve injury. The vast bulk of the impact of DUI events falls on the offenders rather than innocent victims.

Psychometric and biographical correlates of drunk-driving recidivism and treatment program compliance.

The primary objective of this study was to assess the extent to which drunk-driving (DUI) recidivism and DUI treatment program compliance could be predicted from psychometric, biographical, drinking history and prior-driving-record variables. These analyses were performed on data from 7,316 DUI offenders initially collected in Sacramento County, California, from September 1977 through January 1981. For most analyses, the recidivism measure was a composite of major convictions (DUI, reckless, hit-and-run), nighttime (6 PM-6 AM) and alcohol-related accidents during the 4-year interval following treatment assignment. The prediction of recidivism was highly significant for both the construct sample and the 25% cross-validation sample. The predictive accuracy was low, however, as evidenced by multiple Rs of < .30. The predicted rates of recidivism generated for each individual by the regression equation were cross tabulated by other criteria of interest, including total accidents and total injury and fatal accidents. Offenders at high risk of recidivating had substantially higher rates of accidents. The results indicate that reasonably accurate prediction of recidivism is only possible for discriminating between offenders at the extremes of the recidivism expectancy distribution. The above approach was also used to isolate factors predictive of program compliance (successfully completing treatment). In all cases, the prediction of compliance was highly statistically significant. In general, compliance was much more predictable than was subsequent DUI recidivism. Those offenders having a high probability of being noncompliant were much more likely to recidivate and have accidents than were those with favorable compliance expectancies.

Effects of license revocation on drunk-driving offenders

With rapid development of cloud computing, more and more enterprises will outsource their sensitive data for sharing in a cloud. To keep the shared data confidential against untrusted cloud service providers (CSPs), a natural way is to store only the encrypted data in a cloud. The key problems of this approach include establishing access control for the encrypted data, and revoking the access rights from users when they are no longer authorized to access the encrypted data. This paper aims to solve both problems. First, we propose a hierarchical attribute-based encryption scheme (HABE) by combining a hierarchical identity-based encryption (HIBE) system and a ciphertext-policy attribute-based encryption (CP-ABE) system, so as to provide not only fine-grained access control, but also full delegation and high performance. Then, we propose a scalable revocation scheme by applying proxy re-encryption (PRE) and lazy re-encryption (LRE) to the HABE scheme, so as to efficiently revoke access rights from users.

Effects of license revocation on drunk-driving offenders∗

Revoking or suspending the licenses of persons convicted of driving while intoxicated has often been claimed to be uniquely effective in reducing subsequent dangerous driving, as indexed by crashes and violations. This finding holds despite the impression that many suspended and revoked drivers continue to drive illegally. The research described here inquires into the operation of license actions. It uses intensive personal interviews with offenders to obtain information concerning the nature and amount of illegal driving and the effects of license deprivation on employment and other aspects of the offenders' lives.

Psychiatric Disturbances in Drunk Driving Offenders Referred for Treatment of Alcoholism

The incidence of psychopathology in persons arrested for driving while intoxicated (DWI) has serious implications in both alcoholism treatment and in general highway safety. This study investigated the types of psychopathology, as measured by the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), in a sample of 116 males referred for treatment by a court diversion program.