DUI Initiative: Alcohol Policy ProjectAmanda R. Grohosky

Kathleen A. Moore, Ph.D.

Department of Mental Health Law and PolicyLouis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute

University of South FloridaJuly 31, 2006

Tragic Effects of Drinking and Driving

Early on Sunday morning September 19, 1999, Jacqui - then 20 years old - and four friends were on their way home from a birthday party. Reggie Stephey, an 18-year-old high school student, was on his way home from drinking beer with some buddies. On a dark road on the outskirts of Austin, Texas, Reggie's SUV veered into the Oldsmobile carrying Jacqui and the others. Two passengers in the car were killed at the scene and two were rescued.

Within minutes, the car caught fire. Jacqui was pinned in the front seat on the passenger side. She was burned over 60% of her body; no one thought she could survive. But Jacqui lived. Her hands were so badly burned that all of her fingers had to be amputated. She lost her hair, her ears, her nose, her left eyelid and much of her vision. She has had more than 50 operations since the crash and has many more to go.

In June 2001 Reggie Stephey was convicted of two counts of intoxication manslaughter for the deaths of Jacqui's two friends. He was sentenced to seven years in prison and fined $20,000.

http://www.helpjacqui.com/home.htm

Costs Associated with DUI in Florida

•Alcohol accounts for 25% of crash costs in

Florida

•The average alcohol-related fatality in Florida costs $3.4 million

•Alcohol-related crashes accounted for about 17% of Florida’s auto insurance payments

Note. Data from the 2002 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

DUI Facts•Impaired driving is one of the most frequently committed crimes, killing someone in America every 30 minutes

•Alcohol-related crashes accounted for 38% of Florida’s total number of traffic fatalities (NHTSA, 2005)

•Hillsborough County is a state leader in DUI crashes (1,976), injuries (1,432), and fatalities (75) (FDHSMV, 2004)

•There were 7,134 arrests in Hillsborough County this past year; 5.6% increase from 2004 (HCSO, 2005)

Current Project

•DUI initiative has been funded by a Justice Assistance grant in order to combat drinking and driving

•This is in response to the high DUI arrest rate and the need for law enforcement, legal system, and treatment to collaborate on this problem

•The goal of the project is to assess alcohol policy within Hillsborough County focusing on: (1) law enforcement, (2) judicial system, (3) treatment considerations, (4) gaps in the system, and (5) recommendations

Design and Procedure Interviews conducted

Tampa Police Dept Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) Misdemeanor Court Drug Court State Attorney Division of ABT MADD Salvation Army DUI Counterattack Tampa Crossroads Univ. of Tampa

Field Observations Attended meetings

Anti-Drug AllianceTampa Alcohol CoalitionMADDCity Council (drink

specials) Observed two DUI checkpoints Went on two DUI ride alongs Observed court

Dependency drug courtJuvenile drug court

Observed DUI counterattack assessment

Accompanied undercover officers in Ybor City

Flowchart of Flowchart of DUI ProcessDUI Process

Flowchart of DUI Arrests Flowchart of DUI Arrests and Education/Treatmentand Education/Treatment

7,134 DUI Arrests

5,729 DUI Counterattack

4,060 (71%)1st Time

1,669 (29%)Multiple

2,517 (62%)Referred to Treatment

1,636 (98%)Referred to Treatment

Major Gaps in the DUI System

21

19

10

76 6

3

0

5

10

15

20

25

Challenges to Prosecution

Leniency in Sentencing

DUI Not a Priority

Little Time to Prepare Case

Case Overload

Inconsistency in Sentencing

Lack of Collaboration

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Explanations for the High DUI Rate

19

1413

54

32

0

5

10

15

20

Social Acceptance & Dependency

Message/Marketing & Promotion

Dangerous/Uneducated Mentality

DUI Not a Priority

Population Increase

Regional Characteristics

Lack in Transportation

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Explanations for Repeat DUI Offenses

10

8

7

5

4

0

5

10

Not Enough Consequences

Alcoholism

Mentality

Accessibility/Resources

Need Treatment

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Recommendations

•More public transportation

•Inclusion of a DUI court

•Stricter enforcement of laws - “Laws shouldn't be stronger; we just need to enforce what we have. So if an arrest is for DUI, the conviction shouldn't be for reckless driving.”

•Stricter treatment requirements

•Increased education

Recommendations (Cont.)

•Increased communication among law enforcement, judicial system, and treatment

•Mandatory blood testing at time of arrest

•Hire more DUI prosecutors

•Increased public awareness

“We are never going to stop people from drinking – we just need to make it safer”

Next Steps

•Meet with the Chief Judge and Drug Court Judge regarding DUI Court

•Facilitate a collaborative meeting with law enforcement, state attorney’s office, and treatment providers

•Start a new chapter of UMADD at Rider University