- Email: [email protected]
Recidivism study of New Mexico's convicted DWI offenders 2000–2003
Journal of Safety Research - Traffic Records Forum proceedings 36 (2005) 495 – 496 www.elsevier.com/locate/jsr
www.nsc.org
Traffic Records Forum Proceedings Paper
Recidivism study of New Mexico’s convicted DWI offenders 2000–2003 Judith S. Harmon *, Brian Woods Epidemiology and Response Division, New Mexico Department of Health, P.O. Box 26110, Santa Fe, NM 87502, USA Available online 21 November 2005
Keywords: DWI; Recidivism; Driving impaired
1. Problem and purpose As recently as 1996, New Mexico had the highest rate of alcohol-related crash deaths in the United States. In 2003, New Mexico had the sixth highest alcohol-related crash fatality rate in the United States. While New Mexico has improved over the years compared to a few other states, New Mexico’s rate is still twice that of the U.S. rate. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate how convicted Driving-While-Intoxicated (DWI) offenders are screened and tracked in New Mexico, to describe how data analysis is achieved through linkage of databases for convicted DWI offenders in New Mexico, and to describe recidivism rates of convicted DWI offenders. New Mexico law requires all convicted DWI offenders to be screened by an alcohol and drug abuse screening instrument. New Mexico has contracted with ADE Incorporated in Clarkston, Michigan to provide a computerized alcohol and substance abuse assessment to establish treatment need (NEEDS) and client tracking program (CTP) to standardize screening and tracking of DWI offenders for the state of New Mexico.
The second dataset used contains information on all DWI citations since 1984, which is tracked by the Motor Vehicle Division in the DWI Citation Tracking System (DWICTS). This dataset includes personal identifiers, DWI arrests, administrative actions, and court information. The two datasets were linked to provide DWI arrest, conviction, and recidivism histories on individuals in the NEEDS and CTP data, and an estimate of the proportion of individuals convicted of DWI who are being screened and tracked in each county.
3. Match rates Ninety-six percent of the individuals in the NEEDS/ CTP database linked to the records in the DWICTS database, and 63% of the individuals in the DWICTS database with a DWI conviction on a court date from 2000 – 2003 linked to records in the NEEDS and CTP database. Survival analysis is defined as exposure-time to a repeated DWI event with complete and incomplete observations. It represents the mean-time to a repeated DWI arrest following conviction.
2. Methods The first dataset included in this analysis is a merger of the NEEDS and CTP data that were collected at the county level between 2000 and 2003 on DWI offenders. The dataset contains demographic information, the NEEDS, and tracking information on the sanctions assigned (CTP) and court information. * Corresponding author. E-mail address: [email protected] (J.S. Harmon).
4. Results & Outpatient treatment was recommended by the CTP for 73% of convicted DWI offenders. & Just prior to their DWI arrest, 50.9% of convicted DWI offenders consumed alcohol obtained directly from restaurants, bars, or stores where liquor is sold. & Native Americans had the highest re-arrest rates. & Younger convicted DWI offenders had the higher rearrest rates.
0022-4375/$ - see front matter D 2005 National Safety Council and Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.jsr.2005.10.011
496
J.S. Harmon, B. Woods / Journal of Safety Research - Traffic Records Forum proceedings 36 (2005) 495 – 496
& 10.2% of convicted DWI offenders with one prior conviction had a re-arrest.
5. Conclusions Data linkage provides more complete information on convicted DWI offenders than the individual datasets. Survival analysis can provide mean-time to a DWI arrest following a conviction.
6. Impact on the industry Standardization of data collection by states for DWI is essential in assessing DWI recidivism rates. Data linkage of various datasets compliments information gathered by individual databases. Survival analysis should help to assess the relative contributions of various sanctions to deterrence.
Judith Harmon has worked for the Substance Abuse Epidemiology Unit, Epidemiology and Response Division of the New Mexico Department of Health for the past 8 years as Statewide DWI Data Analyst. She is responsible for gathering statewide data on DWI from the 33 counties who are using a screening and tracking tool to track DWI offenders in their respective counties. She has also been heavily involved in the move from independent screening and tracking system to the web-based data system. She has a Masters of Arts degree in anthropology and 11 years experience in substance abuse field. Brian Woods, is the Data Linkage Epidemiologist for the Substance Abuse Epidemiology Unit, Epidemiology and Response Division of the New Mexico Department of Health, and is responsible for data linkage of various health data sets within the Division, including the DWI screening and tracking system, Citation Tracking System (CTS), Behavioral Health Information System (BHIS), Vital Records Births and Deaths, Medicaid and Medicare data, Motor Cycle Riders, Office of Medical Investigations, Fatal Analysis Reporting System. Brian has been linking datasets with various Departments with the State of New Mexico for 22 years.
www.nsc.org
Traffic Records Forum Proceedings Paper
Recidivism study of New Mexico’s convicted DWI offenders 2000–2003 Judith S. Harmon *, Brian Woods Epidemiology and Response Division, New Mexico Department of Health, P.O. Box 26110, Santa Fe, NM 87502, USA Available online 21 November 2005
Keywords: DWI; Recidivism; Driving impaired
1. Problem and purpose As recently as 1996, New Mexico had the highest rate of alcohol-related crash deaths in the United States. In 2003, New Mexico had the sixth highest alcohol-related crash fatality rate in the United States. While New Mexico has improved over the years compared to a few other states, New Mexico’s rate is still twice that of the U.S. rate. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate how convicted Driving-While-Intoxicated (DWI) offenders are screened and tracked in New Mexico, to describe how data analysis is achieved through linkage of databases for convicted DWI offenders in New Mexico, and to describe recidivism rates of convicted DWI offenders. New Mexico law requires all convicted DWI offenders to be screened by an alcohol and drug abuse screening instrument. New Mexico has contracted with ADE Incorporated in Clarkston, Michigan to provide a computerized alcohol and substance abuse assessment to establish treatment need (NEEDS) and client tracking program (CTP) to standardize screening and tracking of DWI offenders for the state of New Mexico.
The second dataset used contains information on all DWI citations since 1984, which is tracked by the Motor Vehicle Division in the DWI Citation Tracking System (DWICTS). This dataset includes personal identifiers, DWI arrests, administrative actions, and court information. The two datasets were linked to provide DWI arrest, conviction, and recidivism histories on individuals in the NEEDS and CTP data, and an estimate of the proportion of individuals convicted of DWI who are being screened and tracked in each county.
3. Match rates Ninety-six percent of the individuals in the NEEDS/ CTP database linked to the records in the DWICTS database, and 63% of the individuals in the DWICTS database with a DWI conviction on a court date from 2000 – 2003 linked to records in the NEEDS and CTP database. Survival analysis is defined as exposure-time to a repeated DWI event with complete and incomplete observations. It represents the mean-time to a repeated DWI arrest following conviction.
2. Methods The first dataset included in this analysis is a merger of the NEEDS and CTP data that were collected at the county level between 2000 and 2003 on DWI offenders. The dataset contains demographic information, the NEEDS, and tracking information on the sanctions assigned (CTP) and court information. * Corresponding author. E-mail address: [email protected] (J.S. Harmon).
4. Results & Outpatient treatment was recommended by the CTP for 73% of convicted DWI offenders. & Just prior to their DWI arrest, 50.9% of convicted DWI offenders consumed alcohol obtained directly from restaurants, bars, or stores where liquor is sold. & Native Americans had the highest re-arrest rates. & Younger convicted DWI offenders had the higher rearrest rates.
0022-4375/$ - see front matter D 2005 National Safety Council and Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.jsr.2005.10.011
496
J.S. Harmon, B. Woods / Journal of Safety Research - Traffic Records Forum proceedings 36 (2005) 495 – 496
& 10.2% of convicted DWI offenders with one prior conviction had a re-arrest.
5. Conclusions Data linkage provides more complete information on convicted DWI offenders than the individual datasets. Survival analysis can provide mean-time to a DWI arrest following a conviction.
6. Impact on the industry Standardization of data collection by states for DWI is essential in assessing DWI recidivism rates. Data linkage of various datasets compliments information gathered by individual databases. Survival analysis should help to assess the relative contributions of various sanctions to deterrence.
Judith Harmon has worked for the Substance Abuse Epidemiology Unit, Epidemiology and Response Division of the New Mexico Department of Health for the past 8 years as Statewide DWI Data Analyst. She is responsible for gathering statewide data on DWI from the 33 counties who are using a screening and tracking tool to track DWI offenders in their respective counties. She has also been heavily involved in the move from independent screening and tracking system to the web-based data system. She has a Masters of Arts degree in anthropology and 11 years experience in substance abuse field. Brian Woods, is the Data Linkage Epidemiologist for the Substance Abuse Epidemiology Unit, Epidemiology and Response Division of the New Mexico Department of Health, and is responsible for data linkage of various health data sets within the Division, including the DWI screening and tracking system, Citation Tracking System (CTS), Behavioral Health Information System (BHIS), Vital Records Births and Deaths, Medicaid and Medicare data, Motor Cycle Riders, Office of Medical Investigations, Fatal Analysis Reporting System. Brian has been linking datasets with various Departments with the State of New Mexico for 22 years.