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.
The Louisiana Court Monitoring Program predominantly tracks misdemeanor DWI cases (first and second charges) in the following parishes: Bossier, Jefferson, Lafayette, Livingston, Ouachita, St. Tammany, and Tangipahoa. When warranted by a concerned citizen call or tracking high profile cases, felony DWI (third charge or higher) cases are also monitored. Court Monitors collect data from DWI cases in high risk areas through online research, data collection from public records, and attending court. Cases monitored are selected from court dockets, cases requesting attention from concerned citizen communications, and high profile cases showcased in local media. The data is then entered into the MADD National Court Monitoring Database for reporting purposes.
Louisiana State Report (reporting period: 1/1/2020 – 12/31/2020)
This report is designed to present observations and trends relative to the parishes monitored, and is not intended to be statistical analysis.
Pending Cases Monitored:
1,090
61%
Adjudicated Cases Monitored:
680
39%
1,770
Total Cases Monitored in 2020:
*Pending cases are cases waiting a judgement result.
100% 40% 2%
Adjudicated
680 276 11 153 93 38 104
Guilty Not Gulty Deferred Prosecution Nolle Prosequi/Dismissed Amended No Contest
22% 14% 6% 15%
Disposition Sealed
5
<1%
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