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MADD LOUISIANA COURT MONITORING
MID-YEAR REVIEW
How It Works
MADD's Court Monitoring Project enlists court monitors to observe and document what happens in the courtrooms during impaired driving case proceedings. The program was created to ensure that impaired driving offenders are prosecuted and justice is achieved. Court monitoring is a tool proven to affect the adjudication process and is recognized by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) as an effective countermeasure to reduce impaired
driving (Richard, Magee, et al, 2018). Court monitors on the local scale can impact the handling of impaired driving cases by their mere presence in the courtroom.
Court monitoring is intended to enhance transparency and accountability within the criminal justice system and reduce the likelihood of repeat offenses. One way this goal is achieved is by sharing data and observations with law enforcement, judges, prosecutors, and the public to promote awareness of impaired driving and ensure accountability for all impaired driving offenders. To reduce future offenses, MADD supports swift and unbiased treatment of all impaired driving cases. (View full report at https://online.flippingbook.com/view/869228984/)
WHAT WE LEARNED
In 2020, the Louisiana Court Monitoring Program predominantly tracked misdemeanor DWI cases (83% first offenses, 14% second offenses) in the following parishes: Bossier, Jefferson, Lafayette, Livingston, Ouachita, St. Tammany, and Tangipahoa. Cases monitored were selected from court dockets, cases requesting attention from concerned citizen communications, and high profile cases showcased in local media. Data was collected from a sample representation of the target population; observations and trends presented in this annual report are extrapolative. Court Monitors tracked 1,770 cases in 2020. Through the examination of the data, the following general observations have been made:
At the time of this report, 1,090 (61%) of the cases monitored in 2020 were pending and 680 (39%) had been adjudicated.
40% Guilty 2% Not Guilty 22% Deferred Prosecution
14% Nolle Prosequi/Dismissed 6% Amended to a lesser charge 15% No Contest less than 1% Disposition Sealed
Other notable demographics:
77% males Age range 30-35 had the highest representation 84% of cases monitored had a BAC over the legal limit 18% of cases monitored were reported as drug related impairement
Maintaining the presence of a court monitor in the courtrooms through MADD's Court Monitoring Program can affect positive change on adjudication and sentencing of defendants.
Source: Richard, C. M., Magee, K., Bacon-Abdelmoteleb, P., & Brown, J. L. (2018). Countermeasures that work: A highway safety countermeasure guide for State Highway Safety Officials, Ninth Edition (Report No. DOT HS 812 478). Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
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CURRENT TRENDS
From October 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021 Louisiana Court Monitoring Specialist tracked DWI cases in Bossier, Caddo, East Baton Rouge, Lafayette, LIvingston, Ouachita, Rapides, St. Charles, and Tangipahoa Parishes. The data collected for this period revealed notable trends including an increase in the number of guilty case dispositions and an increase in guilty dispositions in drug-related DWI cases. A total of 1,787 cases were monitored, 337 of those cases closed during this period, 49 of those closed were DWI drug cases.
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MADD LOUISIANA HONORS OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT HEROES
MADD Louisiana recognized 58 law enforcement officials throughout the state of Louisiana for their outstanding work! Each made 25 or more DWI arrests in 2020. We thank them for saving lives by removing impaired drivers from our roads and keeping our communities safe!
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MADD MOVING FORWARD
Though the 2020 pandemic halted in person activity in the courthouses, MADD Louisiana's Court Monitoring Specialists are now back in many of the courtrooms. There seems to be an increase in DWI cases though this may be in the backlog in cases that were postponed due to Covid-19. Some cases are being heard in person, while others via zoom. Along with monitoring the courts in their parishes, Court Monitoring Specialists participated in coalition meetings pertaining to their areas. These meetings are still being done via zoom with talks of in-person meetings starting up before the grant year ends.
Become a MADD Court Monitoring Volunteer
The success of MADD Louisiana's Court Monitoring Program would not be possible without the support of volunteers! We are always in need of help, so contact us to learn more!
April Higgins | Alisa Politz 225.926.0807
april.higgins@madd.org
|
alisa.politz@madd.org
Follow us on Facebook for more information on MADD Louisiana ' s Court Monitoring Program and our other programs and services !
@ MADDLouisiana
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