Key Findings & Observations
Driving a vehicle while impaired is a dangerous crime, yet continues to happen across the United States. Each year, about 1 million individuals are arrested. What happens after those arrests depends on the criminal justice system. As a MADD court monitor, you can get the insider’s perspective on the judicial system, while making a vital contribution to your local community. Your presence in court and the data you collect will help make sure our laws are upheld and the criminal justice system does what it is intended to do: Keep us safe Based on the case information collected and tracked by MADD court monitors in 2021, the following overall observations were pr sented: Conversations with prosecutors have illustrated that many of the DWI cases amended from their original charge were for any of the following reasons: first time offense, no prior criminal history and/or no additional criminal violations while case was pending, successfully following, and abiding the bond conditions, length of time between current charge and last conviction, and employment/school status. Many counties require offenders to complete special conditions as part of their sentence. In 2021, one observation documented was the consistent order for SATOP (Substance Awareness Traffic Offender Program) and Victim Impact Panel classes for first time and prior offenders. Overall, a combination of community service, victim impact panel, SATOP, and two years of probation were issued for first time and prior offenders. For instance, 18% of the 5,547 sanctions issued for the 1,841 cases adjudicated were supervised or unsupervised probation for two years. 12% of the sanctions were Victim Impact Panel, and 13% were SATOP. Lastly, 5% of the sanctions issued were for ignition interlock devices. In the first half of 2021, it was uncommon for first time offenders to receive an ignition interlock as a sanction. As local court rooms began to re-open and court monitors were able to complete in-person monitoring, MADD Missouri court monitors noticed an increase in ignition interlock devices being ordered for first time offenders. Missouri has a first-time offender ignition interlock law; however, it is administrative, meaning the program is managed by Departments of Motor Vehicles, rather than by the local court system. MADD Missouri has had productive conversations with prosecutors in the monitored counties and are hopeful they will continue to see an increase in ignition interlock devices being ordered for first time offenders.
Maintaining a presence in the courtrooms through observation and building relationships with prosecutors and judges, allowed continued and ongoing productive discussions between citizens and the judiciary.
Requiring ignition interlock devices for all convicted offenders Requiring all offenders to attend a Victim Impact Panel Allowing state funding for sobriety check points Increase training and funding for law enforcement officers on proper handling of drug impaired driving related arrests Adding an ignition interlock device requirement for eligibility to obtain a Hardship License to drive to work if it is revoked/suspended for refusing the breath test MADD MISSOURI CONTINUES TO CALL FOR CHANGE IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS: IF YOU OR A LOVED ONE HAS BEEN AFFECTED BY DRUNK OR DRUG-IMPAIRED DRIVING, MADD IS HERE TO HELP. CALL OUR VICTIM/SURVIVOR 24-HOUR HELPLINE AT 877-MADD-HELP (877-623-3435). (1) Richard, C. M., Magee, K., Bacon-Abdelmoteleb, P., & Brown, J. L. (2018, April). Countermeasures that work: A highway safety countermeasure guide for State Highway Safety Offices, Ninth edition (Report No. DOT HS 812 478). Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
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