An Evaluation of the Three Georgia DUI Courts

Fell, James C.; Tippetts, A. Scott; Langston, Elizabeth A. · 2011 · ROSA P / United States. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

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Summary

This report evaluates the effectiveness of three specialized Driving Under the Influence (DUI) courts established in Georgia’s Chatham, Clarke, and Hall counties. Motivated by the high recidivism rates among repeat DUI offenders and the success of drug court models, the program aimed to address underlying alcohol problems through judicially supervised treatment, frequent monitoring, and graduated sanctions. The study, conducted by the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), sought to determine if these courts functioned as intended and reduced recidivism compared to traditional sanctioning methods. The evaluation comprised a process assessment and an impact study covering the period from October 2002 to June 2008. The process evaluation involved site visits, staff interviews, and data collection on offender retention and compliance. As of April 2006, 1,053 offenders were referred to the courts, with a 79% retention rate; 301 graduated, 532 remained active, and 220 were terminated or non-compliant. The impact evaluation utilized survival analyses (Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier models) to compare recidivism rates over a four-year exposure period. The study groups included an intent-to-treat group of 622 DUI court participants (graduates and terminated offenders), a retrospective comparison group of 270 matched offenders from the same counties prior to the court’s establishment, and a contemporary comparison group of 450 matched offenders from similar counties receiving traditional sanctions. The results demonstrated significant reductions in recidivism for DUI court participants. The intent-to-treat group exhibited a 15% recidivism rate, which was 38% lower than the contemporary group (24%) and 65% lower than the retrospective group (35%). Offenders who graduated from the DUI courts had a notably low 9% recidivism rate, compared to 26% for those terminated from the program. Specifically, graduates showed recidivism rates 63.5% lower than contemporary offenders and 79.3% lower than retrospective offenders. The study estimated that the DUI courts prevented between 47 and 112 repeat arrests over the four-year period. Additionally, the program facilitated positive lifestyle changes and improved coordination among judicial, probation, and treatment providers through a centralized tracking system. The findings conclude that DUI courts are a viable and effective alternative to traditional sanctioning for repeat offenders, significantly reducing recidivism and associated public safety risks. While the study could not perform a full cost-benefit analysis due to unavailable cost data, it noted that reduced recidivism likely saved substantial funds related to jail confinement and probation. The report highlights that while the program faced obstacles such as high costs for low-income offenders, the courts successfully operated through mixed funding sources. The evaluation supports the expansion of DUI courts as a strategy to manage chronic impaired driving and protect public safety.

Key finding

DUI court participants had a 15 percent recidivism rate, which was 38 percent lower than the contemporary comparison group and 65 percent lower than the retrospective comparison group.

Methodology

field_study

Sample size: 1053

Provenance

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Topics

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• dui enforcement