What works (or doesn't) in a DUI court? An example of expedited case processing

PurposeA number of policy efforts have aimed to reduce drunk driving, including deterrence-based policies and specialized treatment courts. This study examines the impact of expedited court processing on the county-wide rate of DUI offenses. It also examines the links between sanction swiftness, certainty, and severity and changes in DUI rates over time.MethodsThis study uses interrupted time series analysis to assess changes in DUI rates in one county over a time period including the introduction of a full-coverage, expedited court docket for DUI. Additionally, the three components of deterrence were examined.ResultFindings reveal that the program implementation corresponded with a lower rate of DUI case filings, but not with a general reduction in alcohol-involved collisions in the county. Additionally, only sanction swiftness improved over time, while certainty remained stable and severity declined.ConclusionsResults indicate that the introduction of the expedited court docket does not appear to have produced a deterrent effect on DUI. It may be that DUI offenders require more than expedited processing to overcome the issues that precipitate their offending. Future research and policy should explore both the impact of swiftness of punishment and the provision of appropriate treatment services in addressing DUI offending.

Research highlights
► The expedited case processing docket for DUI significantly reduced the number of DUI case filings.
► There was no effect of the DUI court docket on the number of alcohol-involved collisions.
► The expedited court docket reduced case processing time as intended.
► Certainty did not change, and severity declined during the time period.