NCJ Number
62104
Date Published
1978
Length
71 pages
Annotation
THIS THIRD VOLUME OF A THREE-VOLUME REPORT SUMMARIZES A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF DECRIMINALIZED ADMINISTRATIVE ADJUDICATION OF TRAFFIC OFFENSES AND TRADITIONAL ADJUDICATION OF SUCH OFFENSES.
Abstract
THE STUDY COMPARED THE RELATIVE 'FAIRNESS,' 'EFFICIENCY,' AND 'EFFECTIVENESS' OF DECRIMINALIZED ADJUDICATION OF TRAFFIC OFFENSES IN BUFFALO, N.Y. AND THE STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA WITH TRADITIONAL ADJUDICATION OF TRAFFIC OFFENSES IN SYRACUSE, N.Y. AND THE STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA. INFORMATION COMMON TO ALL SITES WAS IDENTIFIED, COLLECTED, AND ANALYZED TO DETERMINE (1) IF SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN IMPACT EXISTED REGARDING A SERIES OF CRITERION MEASURES, (2) THE TYPE AND DEGREE OF EFFECT, AND (3) WHETHER DIFFERENCES WERE ATTRIBUTABLE TO SPECIFIC CAUSES. FINDINGS SHOWED INSIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN 'FAIRNESS' AND 'EFFECTIVENESS' (IMPACT ON DRIVER RECIDIVISM AND HIGHWAY SAFETY) BETWEEN ALL SITES. THE BUFFALO ADMINISTRATIVE SYSTEM DID PROVE TO BE MORE EFFICIENT THAN THE SYRACUSE TRADITIONAL SYSTEM, BUT NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN EFFICIENCY WAS NOTED IN COMPARING THE NORTH DAKOTA AND SOUTH DAKOTA SYSTEMS OF ADJUDICATION. STUDY RESULTS SHOW THAT DECRIMINALIZATION OF TRAFFIC OFFENSES CAN ONLY LEAD TO IMPROVED FAIRNESS, EFFICIENCY, AND EFFECTIVENESS IN DEALING WITH DEVIANT DRIVING WHEN THE ADJUDICATION SYSTEM AND THE QUALITY OF ADJUDICATOR DECISIONMAKING AND DISPOSITIONS DESIGNED TO CHANGE DEVIANT DRIVING BEHAVIOR ARE SIGNIFICANTLY CHANGED. SPECIAL DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMS SHOULD BE DEVELOPED TO EXAMINE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SPECIAL DRIVER TRAINING PROGRAMS AND THE RESULTS OF ADJUDICATION PROCEDURES CONDUCTED BY SPECIALLY TRAINED ADJUDICATORS. ASSOCIATED EFFECTS ON HIGHWAY SAFETY MUST ALSO BE DETERMINED. TABULAR DATA, EXHIBITS, A GLOSSARY, AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)