MADD’s Court Monitoring Program enlists court monitors to observe and document what happens in the courtroom 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 1 . Court monitors on the local scale can impact the
handling of impaired driving cases by their mere presence in the court room. 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 observa- tions 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. 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 Offic- es, Ninth edition (Report No. DOT HS 812 478). Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Each year, MADD staff members and volunteers across the state of Arizona monitor a minimum of 3,000 new DUI and DUI Drug cases. In the year 2020, MADD Arizona was able to follow 4,518 cases overall, 2,381 cases of which were monitored through the full adjudication process leading to the findings in this report. Although the COVID-19 pandemic changed many facets of our daily lives, this report demonstrates that DUI and DUI Drug cases occurred just as frequently during quarantine as they did in years past. Statistically, MADD Arizona observed similar trends in the total quantity of DUI and DUI Drug cases, demographics of DUI and DUI Drug offenders, and overall adjudication outcomes in comparison to previous years.
Arizona State Report (reporting period: 1/1/2020 – 12/31/2020)
This report is designed to present observations and trends relative to the counties monitored and is not intended to be a statistical analysis.
Pending Cases Monitored:
2137
47% 53%
Adjudicated Cases Monitored:
2381
4,518
Total Cases Monitored in 2020:
*Pending cases are cases waiting a judgement result.
Drug Related DUIs
Drug Related 13%
Of the DUI cases observed in 2020 across the state of Arizona, 13% were drug related. On November 3rd, 2020, Arizonans voted to approve Proposition 207, otherwise known as the Smart and Safe Act, and henceforth le- galized the recreational use of cannabis in addition to the already legalized medicinal usage. With the passing of Proposition 207, MADD is reaffirmed in its mission to help in the fight against drugged driving. MADD Arizona is committed to continuing to monitor both alcohol and other drug related DUI cases, follow them through the adjudication process, and use the information collected to study the long term implications of this proposition.
Alcohol Related
87%
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