Diagnosis, referral, and rehabilitation within the Fairfax Alcohol Safety Action Project, 1974.

Lynn, Cheryl · 1975 · ROSA P / Virginia Transportation Research Council (VTRC)

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Summary

This report evaluates the diagnosis, referral, and rehabilitation components of the Fairfax Alcohol Safety Action Project (ASAP) during 1974. The study addresses the need to assess whether these countermeasures effectively match defendants with appropriate treatment resources to reduce recidivism and alcohol-related crashes. The Fairfax ASAP, a federally funded demonstration project, substituted alcohol-related treatment for conventional legal sanctions like jail time or license suspension. The report combines Analytic Studies #5 and #6 to examine the judicial countermeasure’s diagnostic processes and the subsequent rehabilitative outcomes. The methodology involved analyzing data from 3,257 defendants processed by probationary services in 1974. The system operated through a judicial countermeasure comprising probation, prosecution, and court components. Defendants underwent group intake screenings and, if necessary, individual evaluations by a Diagnostic and Evaluation Unit. They were classified into three drinker levels: Level 1 (social/non-problem), Level 2 (pre-problem), and Level 3 (problem). Referrals were made to five major treatment types, including alcohol-related driver education (Type I) and clinical treatment (Type III). The study utilized multiple discriminant function analysis to examine the variables influencing diagnosis and referral decisions, alongside statistical comparisons of demographic, alcohol-related, and arrest-related variables. Key findings indicate that diagnostic criteria were inconsistent over time, whereas referral patterns remained relatively stable. Discriminant analysis revealed that demographic and arrest variables alone did not adequately discriminate between drinker types; however, the diagnostic classification strongly influenced referral decisions, aligning with probation office procedures. Demographic comparisons showed that Type I attendees were typically higher socioeconomic status, single, and arrested on weekdays, while Types II, IV, and V attendees were more likely to be minorities, women, or arrested on weekends with higher blood alcohol concentrations. Regarding outcomes, defendants not referred to treatment exhibited significantly higher recidivism rates than those referred. However, when controlling for drinker type and exposure, no significant differences in recidivism rates existed between the various treatment modalities. Additionally, knowledge scores from driver improvement schools showed that weekend programs were as effective as non-weekend programs, and prior attendance in alcohol education programs did not significantly increase knowledge gains compared to non-participants. The significance of this report lies in its evidence that referral to treatment reduces recidivism compared to no treatment, though specific modalities do not differ significantly in effectiveness when drinker type is controlled. The study highlights the complexity of evaluating rehabilitation impacts without randomized control groups and notes that diagnostic instability may reflect changing criteria rather than population shifts. The findings support the ASAP model’s premise that substituting treatment for legal sanctions can intervene in drinking patterns, while underscoring the importance of accurate diagnosis in determining appropriate referrals.

Key finding

Defendants not referred to treatment exhibited significantly higher recidivism rates than those who were referred, with no significant differences in recidivism observed among different treatment modalities when controlling for drinker type.

Methodology

dataset

Sample size: 3257

Provenance

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