NCJ Number
16160
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 41 Issue: 11 Dated: (NOVEMBER 1974) Pages: 22-23
Date Published
1974
Length
2 pages
Annotation
DESCRIPTION AND EVALUATION OF A TENNESSEE PROGRAM USED AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE INCARCERATION OF CONVICTED DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED (DWI) DEFENDANTS, WHICH PROVIDES REEDUCATION ON THE SERIOUS EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ON DRIVING.
Abstract
THE OBJECTIVES OF THE JOHNSON CITY DRIVER'S EDUCATION SCHOOL ARE TO REEDUCATE DWI DEFENDANTS ABOUT THE EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ON DRIVING SKILL AND TO REDUCE THE RECIDIVISM RATE OF DWI DEFENDANTS IN THE COMMUNITY. A CORE COURSE OF FIVE TWO-HOUR SESSIONS MEETING ONCE A WEEK WAS DESIGNED. FILMS, GROUP DISCUSSIONS, AND INSTRUCTOR PRESENTATIONS WERE USED TO IMPART THE SERIOUSNESS OF DWI. PRE- AND POST-TESTS MEASURING ATTITUDES AND KNOWLEDGE WERE ADMINISTERED TO THE CLASS GROUP AND A CONTROL GROUP WHICH DID NOT ATTEND THE CLASSES. THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP DEMONSTRATED A HIGHER LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE AT THE END OF THE COURSE THAN THE CONTROL GROUP, AND ALL 68 GRADUATES OF THE SCHOOL DEMONSTRATED HIGHER LEVELS OF KNOWLEDGE AT THE END OF THE COURSE WHEN COMPARED TO THEIR PRE-COURSE KNOWLEDGE. NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN ATTITUDES WAS FOUND BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS, BUT THE GRADUATES DID SHOW A SIGNIFICANTLY MORE SERIOUS ATTITUDE AT THE END OF THE COURSE WHEN COMPARED TO THEIR ATTITUDES PRIOR TO THE COURSE. THE RECIDIVISM OBJECTIVE ALSO APPEARED TO BE MET, SINCE NONE OF THE GRADUATES REPEATED THE DWI OFFENSE BETWEEN MARCH 8, 1973 AND NOVEMBER 6, 1973.