The Baton Rouge Community Service Work Program Volume II
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U.S Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration DOT HS 807 201 October 1987 Final Report An Evaluation of a Community Service Sanction for DWI: The Baton Rouge Community Service Work Program Volume II This document is available to the public from the National Technical Information Service, Soringfield, Virginia 22161. The United States Government does not endorse products or manufacturers. Trade or manufacturers' names appear only because they are considered essential to the object of this report. T.chnical Report Documontotion Pag. 1. Report No. 2. Gov.rnment Accession No. 3. Recipient's Catalog No. DOT HS 807 201 4. Title and Subtitle 5. Report Date AN EVALUATION OF A COMMUNITY SERVICE SANCTION FOR DWI: October 1987 THE BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY SERVICE WORK PROGRAM 6. Performing Organization Cod. 8. Performing Organisation Report No. 7. Author, s) William Stenzel James Manak Peter Murphy 9. Performing Organization Name and Address 10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS) Northwestern University Traffic Institute 405 Church Street l U . Contract or Grant No. Evanston, Illinois 60208 DTNH22-83-C-07276 13. Type of Report and Period Covered 12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address U.S. Department of Transportation Volume II - Final Report National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 14. Sponsoring Agency Coda 15. Supplementary Notes 16. Abstract This project examined the deterrent impact of community service as sanction for DWI offenders during a one-year study in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Since 1983, virtually all DWI offenders in Baton Rouge have been given community ser vice as a sanction in lieu of jail. Beginning in February 1985, a city-wide PI&E campaign was conducted to increase public awareness about the use of com munity service for DWI offenders. A series of surveys showed that public aware ness of the community service sanction for DWI increased significantly during the one-year study period. In general, self-reported data and comparison of annual accident data with other Louisiana jurisdictions failed to indicate any significant change in driving behavior during the study period. A time-series analysis of surrogate measures of alcohol-related accidents did find decreases in some measures (single vehicle fatal and injury accidents, and percent of dri vers who had been drinking in fatal and injury accidents). Specific deterrence was examined by comparing the driving records of two groups of DWI offenders categorized by whether they had received community service as a sanction or not. Comparison of the two groups failed to indicate any significant differences. Interviews with key personnel throughout the adjudication system did not reveal any major organizational or operational problems with the implementation and use of community service in Baton Rouge. 17. Key Words 18. Distribution Statement DWI, Community Service General Deterrence, Specific Deterrence 19. Security Clossif. (of this report) 20. Security Cloesif. (of this peg*) 21. No. of Pages 22. Price Forst DOT F 1700.7 (8-721 i ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The authors of this report acknowledge the support and assistance of Dr. Richard Compton of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration who served as Technical Monitor for this study. In Baton Rouge, the authors also wish to extend their thanks and gratitude to the following individuals: Darrell D. White Senior Judge, Baton Rouge City Court Rosemary Pillow Associate Judge, Baton Rouge City Court Freddie Pitcher Associate Judge, Baton Rouge City Court Byron Stringer Associate Judge, Baton Rouge City Court Milton (Mickey) Skyring Clerk/Judicial Administrator, Baton Rouge City Court Cynthia Gaudin Deputy Clerk/Administrator, Baton Rouge City Court Mary Milisap Chief Probation Officer, Probation and Rehabilitation Division Robert Menck Probation Officer 2, Probation and Rehabilitation Division Pat Bonnano Former Chief, Baton Rouge Police Department Wayne Rogillio Chief, Baton Rouge Police Department Charles Brown Former Captain, Baton Rouge Police Department f Ralph Tyson Prosecutor, City of Baton Rouge Bryan Bush District Attorney, East Baton Rouge Parish iii Peter Adams Executive Director, Louisiana District Attorney's Association Jack Yelverton Executive Director, National District Attorney's Association Betty Theis Executive Director Louisiana Highway Safety Commission Edward Sherman Louisiana Highway Safety Commission Superintendent, Louisiana Department of Public Safety Margaret Parker Records Supervisor, Louisiana Department of Public Safety Supervisor, Baton Rouge Driver Licensing and Vehicle Registration Facility B.J. Daily Director, Baton Rouge DWI Public Information Center The authors also wish to extend a special thanks to the following per sons: Robbie Harrelson, Casework Supervisor, Probation and Rehabilitation Division; Jules D'Hemecourt, Professor, School of Journalism at Louisiana State University; and John Mayo, Data Systems Manager, Planning and Research, Baton Rouge Police Department. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . i i i TABLE OF CONTENTS . v LIST OF FIGURES . xi LIST OF TABLES . xiii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY . 1-1 Introduction . 1-1 Deterrence Theory . 1-2 Project Purpose and Overview 1-2 Methodology . 1-3 General Deterrence . 1-3 Specific Deterrence . 1-3 Impact on the Adjudication System . 1-4 Project Products . 1-4 Outline of the Final Report . 1-4 Summary 1-5 PI&E Project Activities 1-5 General Deterrence . 1-6 Specific Deterrence 1-6 Impact on the Adjudication System . 1-6 Observations . 1-7 CHAPTER 2: DESCRIPTION OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE AND THE LAW ENFORCEMENT, JUDICIAL, AND DISPOSITION SYSTEMS . 2-1 Introduction . .. 2-1 DWI Enforcement System . 2-2 DWI Judicial and Disposition System . 2-4 Community Service Work Program . 2-6 V Page CHAPTER 3: PUBLIC INFORMATION ACTIVITIES . 3-1 Introduction . 3-1 Overall Role of PI&E in Project . 3-1 Why Baton Rouge Was Chosen as a Site . 3-1 Specific Goals and Objectives . 3-1 PI&E Implementation Plan . 3-3 Overall Structure . 3-3 Themes and Messages . 3-3 Materials and Activities . 3-3 Plan Implementation . .. 3-6 Month-by-Month Activity . 3-6 Impact of Individual Media Channels . 3-10 Radio . ... ... 3-10 Television . 3-10 .Print . 3-10 Billboards . 3-11 Other Channels . 3-11 Observations . 3-11 CHAPTER 4: GENERAL DETERRENCE IMPACT OF THE BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY SERVICE WORK PROGRAM . 4-1 Introduction . 4-1 Legal Sanctions and Deterrence Theory . 4-1 Project Objectives . 4-1 Changes in Public Awareness Levels . 4-2 Changes in Driving Behavior . 4-2 Changes in Public Awareness Levels 4-2 Methodology .. 4-3 Survey Instruments . 4-3 Survey Logistics and Protocol . 4-3 Interview and Questionnaire Sample Sizes . 4-4 Analysis Issues . 4-6 Analysis Organization . 4-6 Demographics . 4-6 Drinking and Driving Patterns . 4-6 Public Awareness of and Attitudes about Legal Sanctions for DWI Offenders . 4-7 Questionnaire Tabulations . 4-7 Analysis Procedures . 4-8 vi Page Demographics . 4-8 Analysis . 4-8 Summary . ... 4-8 Patterns of Drinking and Driving . 4-8 Analysis . 4-10 Summary . 4-10 Public Awareness Levels . 4-11 Analysis . 4-12 Summary . 4-14 Sources of Public Awareness . 4-14 Analysis . 4-14 Summary . .. .. ... 4-14 Influence of Sanctions . 4-15 Analysis . 4-15 Summary . .. .... 4-16 Summary . .. .. ... 4-17 Was Public Awareness Increased? . 4-17 Were the Public Awareness Components of the General Deterrence Model Increased? . 4-17 Was the Deterrent Impact of Community Service Increased? . 4-18 Changes in Driving Behavior . 4-18 Methodology . .. 4-19 Self-Reported Changes . 4-20 Inter-Parish/City Comparisons . 4-20 Time Series Analysis . 4-23 Analysis . 4-26 Self-Reported Data . 4-26 Accident Data . 4-28 Enforcement Data . 4-32 Summary . 4-33 CHAPTER 5: SPECIFIC DETERRENCE IMPACT OF THE BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY SERVICE WORK PROGRAM . 5-1 Introduction . ... 5-1 Methodology . .. .. 5-1 Driver Selection . 5-1 Driver Sample Demographics . 5-2 Analysis Methodology . 5-3 Before/After Exposure Periods . 5-3 Analysis Procedures . 5-5 Within Group Tests . 5-5 Between Group Tests . 5-6 Vii Page Data Collection and Analysis Summaries . 5-6 Rows 1-4 . 5-8 Rows 5-7 . 5-8 Rows 8-10 . 5-8 Tables 5-11 and ^5-12 5-8 Analysis Results . 5-17 Comparison of 1982 and 1984 Groups - All Drivers . 5-17 Accidents (Table 5-5) . 5-17 Violations (Table 5-6) . 5-17 Comparison of 1982 Drivers Grouped by License Sanction . 5-18 Accidents (Table 5-7) . 5-18 Violations (Table 5-8) . 5-18 Comparison of 1982 and 1984 Groups - Drivers With Suspended Licenses Only . 5-18 Accidents (Table 5-9) . 5-18 Violations (Table 5-10) . 5-18 Comparison of 1982 and 1984 Traffic Violations Grouped by Offense Type . 5-19 Summary . 5-19 Impact of the Sanctioning Process . 5-19 Impact of the Baton Rouge Community Service Work Program . 5-20 Impact of License Suspension . 5-21 CHAPTER 6: IMPACT OF COMMUNITY SERVICE WORK ON THE ADJUDICIATION SYSTEM . 6-1 Introduction . 6-1 Evaluation Activities . 6-2 Persons Interviewed . 6-3 Observations and Selections From Personnel Interviews . 6-4 Baton Rouge City Court Judges and East Baton Rouge District Court Judge . 6-4 Baton Rouge City Police Officials and Personnel . 6-5 Prosecutorial Officials: City, District, State Association, and National Association . 6-6 Baton Rouge City Court Clerk/Administrator's Personnel 6-7 Baton Rouge City Court Probation and Rehabilitation Division Personnel . 6-7 Completion Rates of Community Service Work - Program Offenders . 6-8 Community Service Work Program "Success Stories" . 6-9 Reactions of Personnel in Community Serivce Work Placement Agencies . 6-10 Viii Page Observations . 6-12 Percent of Guilty Pleas 6-12 Case Processing Time . 6-12 Post-Sentencing Procedures . 6-12 Arrest Rates 6-12 Probation Department . 6-13 Specific Deterrence . 6-14 Summary . 6-14 APPENDIX A: STATE OF LOUISIANA DWI LAW . A-1 APPENDIX B: CITY OF BATON ROUGE DWI ORDINANCE . B-1 APPENDIX C: BATON ROUGE CITY COURT PROBATION REHABILITATION DIVISION DWI/COMMUNITY SERVICE WORK REFERRAL PROCESS .