NCJ Number
15259
Date Published
1974
Length
36 pages
Annotation
STATISTICAL STUDY OF ALL PERSONS (78) SENTENCED TO IMPRISONMENT FOR DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE IN A MODERATE-SIZE SWEDISH TOWN IN 1969.
Abstract
VARIOUS STUDIES CONCERNING DRUNKEN DRIVERS' RECIDIVISM, CRIMINAL RECORDS, AND PROBLEMS WITH ALCOHOL ARE REVIEWED. IN THE PRESENT INQUIRY, PERSONAL DATA, CRIMINAL RECORDS, AND REPORTS ON ALCOHOL AS A PROBLEM WERE EXTRACTED FROM THE FILES. A FOUR-YEAR FOLLOW-UP PERIOD, COUNTING FROM DATE OF SENTENCE, WAS USED, AND INFORMATION WAS TAKEN FROM THE CENTRAL CRIMINAL REGISTER. FINDINGS WERE - ONE PERSON OUT OF FOUR RELAPSED INTO A REPETITION OF DRUNKEN DRIVING ONE PERSON OUT OF THREE HAD AN ALCOHOL PROBLEM, AND TWO THIRDS OF THOSE STUDIED HAD CRIMINAL RECORDS OTHER THAN DRIVING OFFENSES. THOSE REPEATING A DRUNKEN DRIVING OFFENSE HAD WORSE CRIMINAL RECORDS AND MORE OF THEM HAD ALCOHOL PROBLEMS TOGETHER WITH LONGER CRIMINAL CAREERS THAN THE NONREPEATERS, AND 42 PERCENT RELAPSED INTO SOME FORM OF CRIME SUFFICIENTLY SERIOUS TO WARRANT MENTION IN THE CENTRAL CRIMINAL REGISTRY. PROPOSALS FOR LOWERING THE MINIMUM ALCOHOLIC CONTENT OF THE BLOOD IN TESTING DRIVER SOBRIETY AND FOR SUBSTITUTING OTHER SANCTIONS FOR IMPRISONMENT IN DRUNKEN DRIVING CASES ARE LISTED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED) --IN SWEDISH AND ENGLISH