Victim impact panels : their impact on driving while intoxicated recidivism

NHTSA - Behavioral Safety Researchhttps://doi.org/10.21949/15253991995PDFResearch PaperShinar, DavidCompton, Richard P.University of California, Los Angeles. Brain Information ServiceUniversitat Ben-Guryon ba-NegevUnited States. National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationUniversity of California, Los Angeles. Brain Information ServiceCaliforniaOregonTraffic accident victimsDrunk driversDrunk drivingRecidivismCountermeasuresImpact studiesThe Victim Impact Panel (VIP) is a group of three or four speakers who were seriously injured or whose loved one was killed in a driving while intoxicated (DWI) crash. VIPs present personal stories to DWI offenders with the primary goal of reducing DWI recidivism. This study compares the pre-panel DWI rates with the post-panel recidivism rates of over 2,000 DWI offenders who attended VIPs in Oregon and California. The same rates are compared to the rates of age-sex matched control groups of drivers. The control subjects were convicted of DWI in the same states at the same time period, but were not ordered to attend the VIP. Data for 683 no-shows were also studied. The results reveal that, although in Oregon the VIP attendees had a lower rate of recidivism than their matched control group, the recidivism rate of attendees was not different than that of the no-shows or the age-sex matched control group for the no-shows. In California, no differences were observed in recidivism rates between the VIP group and either the no-show group or the two control groups. VIPs may be a more effective tool for more mature offenders (those 35+ years old). Explanations on the lack of effectiveness of the VIP and suggestions for improvement of the process are offered. /Abstract from report, p. 73/129