In the United States, it is against the law to operate a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and drugs. Driving Under the Influence (DUI) or Operating Under the Influence (OUI) are often measured by a driver’s Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC). Driving with a BAC level above 0.08 is against the law and may result in criminal penalties such as jail time, probation, community service or mandated rehab (DUI Offense Basics). According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) report “Screening for Risk and Needs Using the Impaired Driving Assessment” while the number of alcohol-impaired-driving fatalities has been significantly reduced over the past decade, drunk driving continues to be a serious public health concern and a threat to public safety in the United States (Lowe, 2014).
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Prior DWI and non-DWI involvement in the justice system, involvement with alcohol and drugs as well as mental health and mood adjustment problems were found to be risk areas (Voas & Fisher, n.d.). Previous research on DWI recidivism has established its causal factors to be a combination of alcoholism or addiction and the risky decision-making process of high-risk individuals. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, the use of alcoholism treatment programs are based on the premise that many DWI offenders abuse or are dependent on alcohol and must recover from their uncontrolled pattern of alcohol consumption in order to avoid impaired driving (Voas & Fisher, n.d.). Therapeutic programs strive to reduce impaired driving by promoting recovery from alcohol abuse and dependence. Historically, approximately one-third of DWI offenders have been classified as “problem drinkers” based on analyses of their driving records and on brief assessment instruments (Voas & Fisher,
Prior DWI and non-DWI involvement in the justice system, involvement with alcohol and drugs as well as mental health and mood adjustment problems were found to be risk areas (Voas & Fisher, n.d.). Previous research on DWI recidivism has established its causal factors to be a combination of alcoholism or addiction and the risky decision-making process of high-risk individuals. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, the use of alcoholism treatment programs are based on the premise that many DWI offenders abuse or are dependent on alcohol and must recover from their uncontrolled pattern of alcohol consumption in order to avoid impaired driving (Voas & Fisher, n.d.). Therapeutic programs strive to reduce impaired driving by promoting recovery from alcohol abuse and dependence. Historically, approximately one-third of DWI offenders have been classified as “problem drinkers” based on analyses of their driving records and on brief assessment instruments (Voas & Fisher,