The Chronic Offender of DUI essays

The Chronic Offender of DUI essays There is reason to believe that the most frequent chronic offenders are the ones least likely to be classified as criminals, either by the courts or by the community: drunk drivers. Yet, the number of drivers arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol makes it clear that this is probably the single greatest category of criminal behavior in the nation. As reported on the Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Web site, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration noted that approximately 1.4 million drivers were arrested in 2001 for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics. That equaled an arrest rate of one for every 137 licensed drivers in the United States (2003). Moreover, drunk or substance-impaired driving is not likely to be an isolated incident, like the instance of the Honors Society high school student who swipes a CD player on a dare and the like. Rather, drunk and impaired drivers are very likely to be chronic offenders. "About one-third of all drivers arrested or convicted of driving while intoxicated or driving under the influence of alcohol are repeat offenders" (Fell, 1995, quoted by MADD, 2004). In addition, in 2001, "about 1,461 fatalities occurred in crashes involving alcohol-impaired or intoxicated drivers who had at least one previous DWI convictionabout 8.4 percent of all alcohol- related traffic fatalities (Runge, 2003, quoted by MADD And yet, increasingly, drunk and substance-intoxicated drivers are being treated not as criminals, even when they have been involved in vehicular manslaughter,' or have killed someone. Increasingly, they are being treated as people who have a chronic disease rather than as people who chronically decide to break the law with often devastating effects. The three strikes and you're out' mentality is only marginally involved in punishment and/or rehabi...