© 2005 Behavioral Health Research Institute of the Southwest
612 Encino Place NE / Albuquerque, NM 87102 / 505.244.3099 / www.bhrcs.org

Review of Research on Screening Programs for Convicted Drunk Driving Offenders
Funded by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

BHRCS has launched a comprehensive literature review aimed at helping the justice, treatment, and scientific communities better understand the current state of knowledge concerning DWI screening instruments and procedures, and whether they actually help reduce recidivism.

In other words, this review will give legislators, judges, and therapists a better understanding of "what works and what doesn't" when it comes to evaluating the treatment needs and recidivism risk of convicted drunk drivers.

For good reason, society is alarmed at the number of drunk drivers repeatedly arrested for drunk driving. Drunk-driving arrests occur frequently, and about one-third of those arrested become repeat offenders. An estimated minimum of 35% to 40% of all fatally injured drinking drivers have a prior arrest for DWI. Because of the dangers posed by these offenders, a great deal of effort has been directed toward identifying arrested or convicted drunk drivers at high risk for re-offending.

Because the criminal justice system simply cannot imprison every person arrested for drunk driving, it is imperative that better screening instruments are developed, so that it can be determined who is in need of treatment services and who is likely to drive drunk again.