U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Program Bureau of Justice Statistics DWI Offenders under Correctional Supervision NCJ 172212 June 1999 By Laura M. Maruschak BJS Statistician ------------------------------------------------ Highlights Arrests for driving under the influence* Rate per Number 100,000 drivers 1990 1,810,800 1,084 1991 1,771,400 1,048 1992 1,624,500 938 1993 1,524,800 881 1994 1,384,600 789 1995 1,436,000 813 1996 1,467,300 817 1997 1,477,300 809 *Includes driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (DUI). Number of DWI offenders under supervision, 1997 Male Female Probation 375,500 79,000 Jail 38,200 2,900 State prison 16,600 1,000 Percent of DWI offenders Prior DWI Probation Jail None 67.3% 38.6% 1 18.5 12.3 2 6.0 14.8 3 or more 8.3 34.3 Experiences Percent of DWI offenders with alcohol Probation Jail Dependent 37.4% 46.6% Domestic dispute 55.0 65.7 Lost job 9.6 22.8 In fights 33.9 49.9 Percent of DWI offenders Alcohol Probation Jail Treatment Ever* 59.7% 55.2% Current sentence 46.4 4.2 Program Ever* 69.0% 66.7% Current sentence 61.7 17.3 *Includes drug treatment and programs for jail inmates. ----------------------------------------------------------- * Between 1990 and 1997 the number of arrests for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs decreased 18%, while the number of licensed drivers increased nearly 15%. * The largest number of DWI offenders under correctional supervision (89%) were on probation; the remaining 11% were in jail (8%) and in State prison (3%). * A third of DWI offenders on probation compared to about two-thirds in jail reported prior DWI sentences. Of DWI offenders, 34% in jail and 8% on probation reported three or more prior DWI offenses. * Of DWI offenders, about 37% on probation and nearly 47% in jail exhibited indicators of past alcohol dependence. Over half of DWI offenders in jail (66%) or on probation (55%) reported a domestic dispute while under the influence of alcohol. * Of DWI offenders on probation, over half reported ever receiving alcohol treatment or participating in a self-help program. More probationers than jail inmates reported that since their sentence began they had received alcohol treatment (46% versus 4%) or had participated in a self-help program (62% versus 17%). In 1997 an estimated 513,200 offenders were on probation or in jail or prison for driving while intoxicated by alcohol (DWI): 454,500 on probation, 41,100 in jail, and 17,600 in State prison. DWI offenders accounted for nearly 14% of probationers, 7% of jail inmates, and 2% of State prisoners. Compared to other offenders, DWI offenders are older, better educated, and more commonly white and male. Of DWI offenders, about half of those in jail reported drinking for at least 4 hours prior to their arrest, while about half on probation reported drinking at least 3 hours. About half of DWI offenders in jail reported consuming at least 5.8 ounces of ethanol (equivalent to about 12 beers or 6 glasses of wine); about half of those on probation reported consuming 4.0 ounces of ethanol. The estimated average blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of DWI offenders in jail was .24 grams of alcohol per deciliter of blood; for those on probation it was .19 g/dl. These findings are based on personal interviews of probationers, jail inmates, and State prisoners. The 1995 Survey of Adults on Probation, the 1996 Survey of Inmates in Local Jails, and the 1997 Survey of Inmates in State Correctional Facilities collected detailed data on offenders. While each survey covers a broad range of issues, this report focuses on criminal histories of DWI offenders and the extent of their alcohol use and treatment. Arrests for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol (DUI) have been generally declining since 1986 In 1997 there were an estimated 183 million licensed drivers in the United States, up from 159 million in 1986 (table 1). Table 1. Number of licensed drivers, number of arrests for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (DUI), and rate of arrest for DUI, 1986-97 Rate of arrest Number for DUI per Year Licensed drivers* Arrests for DUI 100,000 drivers 1986 159,486 1,793,300 1,124 1987 161,816 1,727,200 1,067 1988 162,854 1,792,500 1,101 1989 165,554 1,736,200 1,049 1990 167,015 1,810,800 1,084 1991 168,995 1,771,400 1,048 1992 173,125 1,624,500 938 1993 173,149 1,524,800 881 1994 175,403 1,384,600 789 1995 176,628 1,436,000 813 1996 179,539 1,467,300 817 1997 182,709 1,477,300 809 Percent change, 1986-9 14.6% -17.6% -28.0% Average annual change 1.2% -1.7% -2.9% *Estimated in thousands. Sources: FBI, Crime in the United States (1986-1997). Federal Highway Administration, Highway Statistics (1986-1997). While the number of licensed drivers increased, the number of DUI arrests as reported by the FBI Uniform Crime Reports declined from about 1.8 million in 1986 to 1.5 million in 1997. As a result, the overall rate of arrest for DUI offenders per 100,000 drivers decreased from 1,124 in 1986 to 809 in 1997. The number of DUI arrests fluctuated from year to year between 1986 and 1990. After 1990 the number of arrests began to fall steadily until 1995 when the number began to rise. The decline in the number of DUI arrests may be partially explained by the aging of licensed drivers. In 1997 there were more licensed drivers age 35-54 than in 1986. While the percentage of arrests that these offenders account for increased, their rate of arrest decreased. In 1986 and 1997 persons age 21-24 accounted for the largest number of DUI arrests per 100,000 drivers (2,384 and 1,695, respectively); those 65 or older accounted for the smallest number (114 and 78, respectively) (table 2). Table 2. Licensed drivers and arrests for driving under the influence (DUI), by age, 1986 and 1997 1997 1986 Percent Arrests per Arrests per change Percent of 100,000 Percent of 100,000 in rates, Age Drivers Arrests drivers Drivers Arrests drivers 1986-97 Total* 100.0% 100.0% 809 100.0% 100.0% 1,124 -28.0% 16-18 3.7 3.2 696 4.3 3.8 990 -29.7 19-20 3.2 5.3 1,353 3.8 6.8 2,006 -32.6 21-24 6.7 14.1 1,695 9.3 19.7 2,384 -28.9 25-29 10.0 16.9 1,372 12.9 22 1,924 -28.7 30-34 10.8 16.3 1,227 12.3 15.8 1,445 -15.1 35-39 11.5 15.8 1,105 11.1 11.1 1,122 -1.5 40-44 11.0 11.5 849 8.8 7.2 921 -7.9 45-49 9.7 7.4 620 7.0 4.9 783 -20.8 50-54 8.0 4.3 438 6.2 3.4 613 -28.6 55-59 6.1 2.3 309 6.1 2.4 446 -30.7 60-64 5.0 1.3 213 5.8 1.5 299 -28.8 65 or older 14.3 1.4 78.0 12.3 1.2 114 -31.6 Note: Percents may not add to 100% because of rounding. *Total includes a few licensed drivers and arrests for persons under age 16. Although those 65 and older accounted for more than 12% of drivers in 1986 and 1997, they made up less than 1.5% of persons arrested for DUI. In 1986 persons age 16-20 accounted for nearly 11% of DUI arrests; in 1997, about 9%. The sharpest decline in the rate of arrest over the same period occurred for those age 19-20 (a 33% decline). While every State in 1997 had a legal minimum drinking age of 21, some States in 1986 still had lower minimum drinking ages. Most States report a decline in DUI arrest rates In 1991 the FBI in its Uniform Crime Report began including DWI arrests by State. Between 1991 and 1997 some States experienced sharp declines in the rate of DUI arrests. In 1991 New Mexico reported the highest rate of DUI arrest in the country (2,213 per 100,000 drivers), followed by Colorado (1,865) and Kentucky (1,727). However, since 1991 New Mexico and Colorado have experienced the sharpest declines in the rate of DUI arrest (down to 1,156 and 827, respectively in 1997). Although data are not available for Kentucky for 1997, by 1994 its rate of DUI arrest had decreased to 685 per 100,000 drivers. In 1997 Minnesota reported the highest rate of DUI arrest (1,385 per 100,000), followed by Washington (1,261) and North Carolina (1,252). In 1991 the States with the lowest rates of DUI arrest were Rhode Island (348), New York (453), and Pennsylvania (510). In 1997 the States with the lowest rates were Rhode Island (306), and Massachusetts (419). In 1991, 13 out of 45 States with DUI arrest data had a rate greater than 1,200 per 100,000 drivers; in 1997, 5 out of the 35 States with available data had a rate at that level. In 1991, 14 States reported a rate of less than 900 per 100,000 drivers; in 1997, 24 States had such a rate. While the Nation experienced a general decline in the overall rate of DUI, a few States saw increased rates. North Carolina experienced the greatest increase. In 1991 there were 645 DUI arrests for every 100,000 drivers; in 1997 the rate increased to 1,252 (table 3 ). Table 3. Number of DUI arrests and rate per 100,000 drivers, by State, 1991, 1994, and 1997 Rate of DUI arrests Estimated number of DUI arrests per 100,000 drivers 1997 1994 1991 1997 1994 1991 Total/a 1,477,300 1,384,600 1,771,400 809 789 1,048 Alabama/b 21,600 19,800 24,000 638 691 819 Alaska -- 5,200 5,200 -- 1,196 1,640 Arizona 33,100 27,700 30,500 1,062 973 1,271 Arkansas 19,400 19,000 20,900 1,032 1,073 1,215 California/b 193,400 207,000 11,200 949 1,027 1,561 Colorado 23,500 30,900 38,900 827 1,132 1,865 Connecticut 12,500 11,100 17,900 551 481 808 Delaware -- -- -- -- -- -- District of Columbia -- 3,400 2,700 -- 927 672 Florida/b -- 52,000 -- -- 473 -- Georgia -- 58,600 57,600 -- 1,216 1,248 Hawaii/b 5,300 4,300 7,900 721 578 1,134 Idaho/b 10,400 10,400 9,500 1,227 1,295 1,338 Illinois/b -- -- 48,600 -- -- 660 Indiana 26,700 29,200 33,700 681 758 977 Iowa 14,200 16,200 -- 725 855 -- Kansas/b -- -- 25,400 -- -- 1,429 Kentucky -- 17,200 41,700 -- 685 1,727 Louisiana 17,300 19,500 19,600 645 750 756 Maine/b 7,600 7,100 9,900 839 781 1,112 Maryland 23,700 21,300 31,000 709 643 964 Massachusetts 18,400 18,000 27,900 419 403 662 Michigan 55,600 52,000 61,900 823 788 962 Minnesota 39,300 33,300 29,200 1,385 1,230 1,145 Mississippi -- -- -- -- -- -- Missouri 30,800 34,100 38,000 823 1,008 1,019 Montana -- -- 5,800 -- -- 995 Nebraska 13,600 13,900 14,500 1,156 1,210 1,356 Nevada -- 6,600 8,200 -- 654 902 New Hampshire/b -- 6,900 7,900 -- 786 932 New Jersey 25,700 24,400 29,300 461 449 517 New Mexico/b 3,800 -- 23,900 1,156 -- 2,213 New York -- 55,500 46,500 -- 535 453 North Carolina/b 67,600 30,800 29,300 1,252 637 645 North Dakota 3,700 3,200 -- 829 731 -- Ohio 44,500 47,100 53,000 544 660 709 Oklahoma 20,400 23,000 24,000 895 980 1,050 Oregon/b 16,400 18,800 27,900 719 739 1,174 Pennsylvania -- 39,400 40,600 -- 485 510 Rhode Island 2,100 2,000 2,400 306 286 348 South Carolina 14,500 17,300 23,100 557 693 961 South Dakota -- 7,200 5,300 -- 1,418 1,064 Tennessee -- -- -- -- -- -- Texas 84,300 102,800 112,600 657 849 997 Utah/b 7,800 7,300 10,300 577 583 963 Vermont/b -- 2,900 3,600 -- 640 877 Virginia/b 31,500 33,400 45,300 643 725 975 Washington 50,600 25,100 47,700 1,261 664 1,366 West Virginia 9,800 8,600 8,500 760 660 661 Wisconsin 33,200 35,300 35,200 904 992 1,037 Wyoming 4,300 4,800 5,600 1,214 1,392 1,652 Note: The number of arrests in each State were estimated by multiplying the number reported to the FBI times the ratio of the total population to the population in the participating law enforcement agencies. Estimates were then rounded to the nearest 100. --Insufficient data to provide State estimates. a/National estimates include data from States not shown separately. b/States with a legal BAC limit of .08g/dl in 1997. Sources: FBI, Crime in the United States(1991, 1994, and 1997) and Federal Highway Administration, Highway Statistics (1991, 1994, and 1997). In 1991 North Carolina was among the five States with the lowest rate of DUI arrests, and by 1997, North Carolina was among the top three. The rate of DUI arrests also increased in Minnesota (from 1,145 per 100,000 drivers in 1991to 1,385 in 1997) and in West Virginia (from 661 in 1991 to 760 in 1997). Average DUI arrest rate higher in States with a .08 g/dl legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit than in States with a .10 g/dl limit Prior to 1983 no State had a law setting the BAC limit at .08 grams of alcohol per deciliter of blood. In 1983 Oregon and Utah enacted .08 g/dl BAC illegal per se laws, which made it illegal in and of itself to drive with an alcohol concentration measured at or above .08 g/dl. By 1991 three additional States had adopted this limit. By 1997, 15 States had the legal BAC limit of .08 g/dl. The remaining States and the District of Columbia had a legal BAC limit of .10 g/dl. In 1997 the average DUI arrest rate for those States with a .08 g/dl legal BAC level was 952 per 100,000 drivers; for those States with a .10 g/dl legal limit, the rate was 829 per 100,000. Average DUI 1997 legal BAC arrest rate per limit (g/dl) 100,000 drivers* 0.08 952 0.1 829 *Weighted averages based on available data from 10 States with a .08 g/dl legal limit and 24 States with a .10 g/dl limit. The number of DWI offenders under correctional supervision nearly doubled between 1986 and 1997 In 1997 an estimated 513,200 DWI offenders were under correctional supervision, down from 593,000 in 1990 and up from 270,100 in 1986 (table 4). Table 4. Number of DWI offenders on probation or in jail or prison, 1986, 1990, and 1997 DWI offenders, 1997 DWI offenders, 1990 DWI offenders, 1986 Estimated Estimated Estimated number Percent number Percent number Percent Total 513,200 100.0 % 593,000 100.0 % 270,100 100.0 % Probationers/a 454,500 88.6 % 548,900 92.5 % 248,200 91.9 % Felons 78,200 15.5 -- -- -- -- Misdemeanants 376,300 73.3 -- -- -- -- Jail inmates/b 41,100 8.0 % 34,500 5.8 % 18,600 6.9 % Convicted 33,600 6.5 31,200 6.6 16,300 7.6 Unconvicted 7,500 1.5 3,300 0.7 2,300 1.1 State prisoners/c 17,600 3.4 % 9,600 1.7 % 3,300 1.2 % --Not available. a/Based on estimates from the Survey of Adults on probation, estimates from the Annual Survey of Jails. 1995, and counts from the Annual Probation Survey 1990, and 1997. b/Based on estimates from the Survey of Inmates 1983, 1989, and 1996, and adjusted to the 1986, 1990 and 1996 estimates from the Annual Survey of jails. c/Based on estimates from the Survey of Inmates in State Adult Correctional Facilities, 1986, 1991, and 1997 and adjusted to the yearend custody counts reported in the National Prisoner Statistics (NPS-1), 1986, 1990, 1997. Estimates of the number of DWI offenders in 1997 were derived from the 1997 Annual Probation Survey, the 1996 Survey of Inmates in Local Jails, and the 1997 Survey of Inmates in State Correctional Facilities. In these surveys, DWI offenders represented 14% of all adults on probation, 7% of all local jail inmates, and 2% of State prisoners. The percentage of DWI offenders in each population was applied to the 1997 total population count of each to produce a 1997 estimate. (See Methodology for further detail.) The number of DWI offenders on probation in 1997 (454,500) was up from 248,200 in 1986 and down from 584,900 in 1990. The number in jail increased from 18,600 to 41,100, and the number in prison increased from 3,300 to 17,600. In all 3 years about 90% of those under correctional supervision for DWI were on probation. Between 1986 and 1997 there was a gradual increase in the percentage of DWI offenders in prison (1.2% to 3.4%) and in jail (6.9% to 8.0%). As the number of DWI arrests decreased between 1986 and 1997, the number of DWI offenders under correctional supervision per 1,000 arrests increased. In 1997 for every 1,000 DWI arrests, 347 DWI offenders were under correctional supervision. In 1990 there were 327 supervised offenders per 1,000 arrests, and in 1986, 151. DWI offenders under super Number Per 1,000 arrest 1997 513,200 347 1990 593,000 327 1986 270,100 151 DWI offenders serving time in jail had an average sentence of 11 months Convicted DWI offenders in jail were sentenced to serve on average 11 months; half were sentenced to at least 6 months. State prisoners convicted of DWI were sentenced to serve on average 49 months; half were sentenced to serve at least 3 years. Among those on probation, the average sentence length was 26 months; half were sentenced to serve 2 years or more. Total maximum sentence length/a DWI offenders/b Mean Median Probationers 26 mo 24 mo Jail inmates 11 6 State prisoners 49 36 a/See Methodology for detail on measur- ing sentence length. b/Calculated for persons with DWI as their most serious offense. Nearly a third of DWI offenders on probation had served time in jail or in prison for their current DWI offense Of DWI offenders on probation, 69% received a sentence that included only probation, while the remaining 31% received a split sentence and were incarcerated for a period for their current DWI offense. An estimated 29% had served time in a local jail, and 2%, in a State prison. Percent of DWI offenders Sentence served on probation Probation only 68.8 % Probation and - Jail 29.4 Prison 1.6 Jail and prison 0.2 All DWI offenders on probation had at least one condition to their sentence Almost all DWI offenders on probation (94%) had also been sentenced to pay a fee, fine, or court costs C the most common type of condition imposed by the court (table 5). Table 5. Conditions of sentences of DWI offenders on probation Percent of DWI offenders on probation Condition of sentence Total Felony Misdemeanor Any condition* 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% Fees/fines/court costs 93.8 90.7 95.1 Confinement/monitoring 13.2 20.2 10.2 Community service 24.3 35.1 21.5 Employment and training 41.1 49.7 41.0 Counseling 20.5 7.8 22.3 Driving restriction 12.7 20.7 11.4 Alcohol treatment 85.5 76.8 87.8 Drug treatment 26.9 31.1 27.0 Mandatory drug testing 27.9 34.6 28.1 Remain alcohol/drug free 9.9 15.3 9.3 Note: Detail sums to more than 100% because probationers may have more than one condition on their sentence. *Includes other conditions not reported separately. About a quarter were required to perform some type of community service. Thirteen percent were either confined or monitored, which included house arrest, electronic monitoring, curfews, and other restrictions of movement. About 4 in 10 DWI offenders on probation were formally required to maintain employment or to enroll in some type of educational or training program. Over a fifth were required to attend counseling. An estimated 86% of DWI offenders on probation were required to get treatment for alcohol abuse; 27% were required to receive treatment for drug abuse. About 10% were given the condition that they remain alcohol/drug free; about 28% had mandatory drug testing. As a condition to their sentence, felons on probation for DWI more frequently than misdemeanants were required to be confined or monitored (20% versus 10%), to perform some type of community service (35% versus 22%), or to enroll in some type of educational or training program (50% versus 41%). Misdemeanants more frequently than felons were required to receive counseling (22% versus 8%) or to attend alcohol abuse treatment (88% versus 77%), while felons more frequently were required to take mandatory drug tests (35% versus 28%) or to attend drug treatment (31% versus 27%). A third of DWI offenders on probation and nearly two-thirds of those incar- cerated reported prior DWI sentences Of DWI offenders, 33% of those on probation, 61% of those in jail, and 62% of those in prison reported prior DWI offenses (table 6). Table 6. Number of prior DWI sentences among DWI offenders under correctional supervision Percent of DWI offenders Prior DWI Proba- Jail State sentences tioners* inmates* prisoners Total 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% None 67.3 38.6 38.1 1 18.5 12.3 30.0 2 6.0 14.8 14.9 3 5.5 17.0 7.2 4 1.1 5.7 4.0 5 or more 1.7 11.6 5.9 *Includes prior sentences for DUI. Note: Percents may not add to 100% because of rounding. Thirty-four percent of those in jail, 17% of those in prison, and 8% of those on probation reported three or more DWI priors. Among DWI offenders, more of those on probation than those who were incarcerated were first-time offenders for any type of crime. Almost two-thirds of DWI offenders on probation were first-time offenders. About a third of probationers were repeat DWI offenders: 19% had DWI priors only and nearly 15% had a combination of DWI and other prior offenses. Four percent of DWI offenders on probation had been convicted in the past of only non-DWI offenses. Percent of DWI offenders Prior sentences Probationers* Jail inmates* State prisoners First-time offender 62.7 % 32.5 % 14.3 % DWI priors only 18.5 18.7 19.2 Other offense prior 4.1 6.1 23.8 DWI and other prior 14.7 42.7 42.7 *Includes prior sentences for DUI. Of persons sentenced for a DWI offense, about 33% of those sentenced to jail and 14% of those sentenced to prison were first-time offenders. About 19% of those sentenced to jail had only prior DWI convictions, 6% had only other prior offenses, and 43% had both DWI and other offense priors. Of those sentenced to prison, 19% had only DWI priors, about 24% had other offense priors only, and 43% had a combination of DWI and other offense priors. Over half of DWI offenders in jail were on probation, parole, or pretrial release at time of new offense Of DWI offenders in jail, 52% were on probation, parole, or pretrial release when they committed the new offense for which they were incarcerated. DWI offenders on probation or in jail or prison and involved in the criminal justice system at the time of arrest were most commonly arrested while on probation or parole: 9% of probationers, 45% of jail inmates, and 56% of prisoners. Of DWI offenders on probation, nearly 9 out of 10 were not involved in the criminal justice system at time of arrest. Of incarcerated offenders, 46% of those in jail and 43% of those in prison had no criminal justice status at time of arrest. Percent of DWI offenders Criminal justice sta- Proba- Jail State tus at time of arrest tioners inmates prisoners No status 88.7 % 46.3 % 42.5 % Probation/parole 8.6 44.8 55.5 Bail/pretrial release 2.7 7.5 -- Other type of release 0 1.5 2 --Data not collected. DWI offenders were older, better educated, and more commonly white and male DWI offenders under correctional supervision were about 5 years older on average than other offenders. Their average age ranged from 36 to 38, depending on the population (table 7). Table 7. Characteristics of offenders on probation, in local jails, and in State prisons, by offense type Percent of proba- Percent of jail Percent of State tioners in 1995 inmates in 1996 prison inmates in Charged with- Charged with- 1997 charged with- DWI Other DWI Other DWI Other Characteristic offenses offenses offenses offenses offenses offenses Gender Male 82.6 % 78.4 % 92.8 % 89.6 % 94.2 % 93.7 % Female 17.4 21.6 7.2 10.4 5.8 6.3 Age 20 or younger 1.7 % 12.7 % 1.3 % 16.3 % 0.5 % 6.1 % 21-24 9.9 18.3 8.8 16.4 3.3 14.0 25-29 15.6 17.5 18.6 18.4 11.0 18.9 30-34 19.8 16.8 19.0 18.9 4.4 19.3 35-39 18.4 14.5 24.8 14.2 26.2 17.5 40-44 13.9 9.0 12.2 8.7 13.9 11.7 45-49 6.3 5.6 7.0 4.1 9.2 6.1 50 or older 14.6 5.6 8.3 3.0 11.6 6.3 Mean 37 32 36 30 38 33 Race/Hispanic origin White* 73.5 % 58.0% 67.5% 34.9% 68.0% 32.5% Black* 11.9 28.0 10.7 43.2 9.8 47.1 Hispanic 9.4 11.5 17.4 18.5 17.3 17.1 Other 5.1 2.5 4.4 3.3 5.0 3.1 Education 8th grade or less 8.0% 8.5% 8.9% 13.4% 10.6% 9.3% Some high school 17.2 23.7 27.3 34.0 25.9 20.3 GED 10.5 11.2 17.7 19.0 27.9 31.6 High school graduate 27.0 29.9 27.7 18.5 19.9 15.5 Some college 37.2 26.7 18.4 15.2 15.8 13.3 Marital Status Married 30.9 % 26.5 % 20.5 % 15.4 % 17.3 % 16.6 % Divorced/Widowed 29.3 17.7 36.2 15.6 35.0 20.1 Separated 5.1 6.1 9.3 8.7 6.8 5.8 Never married 34.7 49.7 34.0 60.4 40.8 57.5 Note: Percents may not add to 100% because of rounding. *Excludes Hispanics Among probationers and State prisoners, about 1 in 5 DWI offenders were age 45 or older, compared to 1 in 9 offenders sentenced for other offenses. Among jail inmates, 15% of DWI offenders, compared to 7% of other offenders, were in this age group. For probationers or jail inmates, about 10% of the DWI offenders but nearly 33% of other offenders were under age 25. DWI offenders were better educated than other offenders. Thirty-seven percent of DWI offenders on probation, 18% of those in jail, and 16% of those in prison had attended some college. Among other offenders, 27% of those on probation, 15% of those in jail, and 13% of those in State prison had some college education. Although correctional populations are predominantly male, women constitute a smaller proportion among DWI offenders than among other types of offenders. Among probationers, females accounted for 17% of DWI offenders, 7% of those in jail, and 6% of those in prison. Among other offenders, females accounted for 22% of probationers, 10% of jail inmates and about 6% of State prisoners. Over two-thirds of DWI offenders under correctional supervision (74% of probationers and 68% of both jail inmates and prisoners) were white and non-Hispanic. Among other offenders, 58% of probationers, 35% of jail inmates, and 33% of prisoners were white. Among DWI offenders Hispanics represented a higher percentage of jail and prison inmates than of probationers. About 17% of both jail and prison DWI inmates were Hispanic, compared to 9% of those on probation. Females account for a growing number of DWI offenders in jails Although males accounted for over 90% of DWI offenders in jail in 1983, 1989, and 1996, females accounted for slightly more offenders in 1996 (7%) than in 1989 (4%) and 1983 (5%). The DWI jail population was also slightly older in 1996 than in 1989 and 1983. Fifty-two percent in 1996 were 35 or older, the age category of 39% in 1989 and of 41% in 1983. Most of the increase occurred among inmates age 35-39, representing 25% of all DWI offenders in jail in 1996, more than double the 12% in both 1989 and 1983. Percent of DWI offenders in jail 1983 1989 Gender Male 94.7 % 96.3 % Female 5.3 3.7 Age 20 or younger 2.4 % 0.9 % 21-24 22.3 9.7 25-29 17.3 23.6 30-34 17.1 26.5 35-39 11.6 11.6 40-44 8.0 9.4 45-49 6.9 9.2 50 or older 14.3 9.0 Over a third of convicted DWI offenders in jail consumed 7 or more ounces of ethanol prior to their arrest During the personal interviews, offenders were asked about their alcohol consumption prior to their arrest. Questions included the total amount of beer, wine, and liquor consumed at the time of their offense, and the number of hours they had been drinking. From that information the amounts of alcohol consumed were converted into a standard measure -- ounces of ethanol. Two beers (12-ounce cans), one glass of wine (7 ounces), or 2 shots of liquor (1 ounce each) are the equivalent of 1 ounce of ethanol. (See Methodology for key survey items and details on calculating amounts of ethanol consumed.) Because of the small number of DWI offenders in State prisons, their ethanol consumption was not estimated. Likewise, further analysis in this report which breaks down DWI offenders into smaller populations by certain criteria excludes DWI offenders in prison. Forty percent of jail inmates reported consuming 7 or more ounces of ethanol, while 23% of DWI offenders on probation reported the same amount of ethanol consumption (table 8). Table 8. Alcohol consumption prior to arrest by probationers and jail inmates convicted of DWI Percent of DWI Percent of convicted Ounces of offenders on probation DWI offenders in jail ethanol consume Total Male Female Total Male Female Total 100.0 % 100.0 % 100.0 % 100.0 % 100.0 % 100.0 % 0.01-1.99 oz 20.7 % 20.5 % 21.4 % 12.9 % 12.1 % 22.6 % 2-4.99 41.7 40.6 47.0 27.4 27.1 31.1 5-6.99 14.8 13.9 19.1 20.0 21.2 4.6 7-9.99 9.9 11.2 3.8 12.9 13.0 11.5 10-14.99 5.8 5.9 5.2 14.9 14.6 19.0 15 oz or more 7.1 7.8 3.4 11.9 11.9 11.2 Median 4.0oz 4.1 oz 3.8 oz 5.8oz 5.8 oz 4.2 oz Note: Percents may not add to 100% because of rounding. Only jail inmates convicted of DWI reported the amount of alcohol consumed prior to arrest. See Methodology for calculation of ounces of ethanol. Twenty-one percent of DWI offenders on probation and 13% of those in jail said they consumed less than the amount of ethanol in four 12 ounce beers. Half of all DWI offenders in jail reported consuming at least 5.8 ounces of ethanol, and half of those on probation reported consuming at least 4.0 ounces. Males on probation reported consuming about the same amount of ethanol as females (4.1 and 3.8, respectively). However, of DWI offenders in jail, males reported consuming more ethanol than females: half of the men said they had consumed 5.8 ounces or more, while half of the women disclosed that they had consumed 4.2 ounces or more. About half of the DWI offenders who reported drinking prior to arrest consumed beer only Half of DWI offenders on probation and over half of those in jail reported drinking only beer prior to their arrest. Nearly 30% of DWI offenders on probation or in jail reported drinking a combination of beer and liquor. Percent of DWI offenders Probationers Jail inmates Beer only 49.8 % 56.9 % Liquor only 16.6 9.7 Beer and liquor 28.7 29.8 Other combination 4.8 3.6 The amount of ethanol consumed prior to arrest varied by the type of alcoholic beverage. Those DWI offenders who drank beer only consumed less than those who drank liquor or a combination of liquor and other alcohol. Over two- thirds of DWI offenders on probation who drank only beer consumed less than 5 ounces of ethanol. About half of those who drank liquor only or a combination of beer and liquor said they consumed less than 5 ounces (table 9). Table 9. The type of alcoholic beverage and amount of ethanol consumed prior to arrest by probationers and jail inmates convicted of DWI Percent of DWI offenders who drank -- Beer only Liquor only Beer and liquor Ounces of Proba- Jail Proba- Jail Proba- Jail ethanol consumed tioners inmates tioners inmates tioners inmates Total 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 0.01-1.99 oz 28.9% 15.5% 22.6% 6.8% 6.8% 9.0% 2-4.99 41.9 35.7 28.5 27.2 47.9 12.8 5-6.99 13.4 22.8 16.6 7.3 17.5 17.2 7-9.99 9.4 9.0 5.4 4.6 9.7 23.9 10-14.99 4.0 9.4 10.2 39.1 7.7 18.2 15 oz or more 2.4 7.6 16.7 15.1 10.4 18.8 Note: Percents may not add to 100% because of rounding. Only those jail inmates convicted of DWI answered questions about the type and amount of alcohol consumed prior to arrest. Convicted DWI offenders in jail, regardless of type of alcohol consumed, drank more than those on probation. Over half of jail inmates who drank beer only consumed less than 5 ounces of ethanol, while over a quarter consumed more than 7 ounces. Of those who drank liquor only, 34% consumed less than 5 ounces; about 60% consumed more than 7 ounces. And of those who drank liquor and beer, 22% consumed less than 5 ounces, and over 60% consumed more than 7 ounces. DWI offenders on probation drank for fewer hours and consumed less ethanol than those in jail About half of DWI offenders on probation reported drinking for 3 or more hours prior to their arrest; among those in jail, about half said they drank for 4 or more hours (table 10). Table 10. Number of hours spent drinking and amount of ethanol consumed prior to arrest by probationers and jail inmates convicted of DWI Percent of DWI offenders Average ethanol consumed Hours spent drinking Probationers Jail inmates Probationers Jail inmates Total 100.0% 100.0% 6.0oz 8.2oz 1 hour or less 13.2% 15.8% 2.1oz 2.1oz 2-3 37.8 27.6 4.4 4.2 4-5 22.6 25.3 5.4 7.6 6-7 11.1 14.4 7.5 10.6 8-9 7.2 6.7 9.3 10.6 10-11 1.9 2.6 9.2 11.1 12 hours or more 6.1 7.6 11.5 18.1 Median 3.0 hours 4.0 hours 4.0 oz 5.8oz Note: Percents may not add to 100% because of rounding. Only those inmates convicted of DWI reported data on amount of time spent drinking prior to arrest. On average, DWI offenders on probation reported consuming 6 ounces of ethanol, and those in jail, 8.2 ounces. Eight percent of DWI offenders on probation and 11% of those in jail reported drinking for 10 or more hours prior to their arrest. Of DWI offenders who drank for more than 10 hours prior to their arrest, those on probation on average consumed less ethanol than those in jail (11.0 ounces and 16.3 ounces, respectively). Fifty-one percent of DWI offenders on probation and 43% of those in jail reported drinking for 3 hours or less before arrest. On average, these probationers drank the equivalent to 3.2 ounces of ethanol, and the jail inmates drank 3.3 ounces. Average ethanol consumption, by hours spent drinking Average hours of Jail ethanol consumed Probationers inmates Up to 1 hour 2.132 2.1 2 4.42 3.99 3 4.289 4.299 4 5.113 7.94 5 5.731 7.24 6 8.276 11.464 7 5.311 9.485 8 9.609 10.418 9 6.304 11.666 10 or more hours 10.952 16.308 BAC levels were higher among DWI offenders in jail than among those on probation The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has provided a formula that permits estimation of blood alcohol concentration (BAC). The formula incorporates estimates of ethanol consumption, the number of hours spent drinking, and the offender's gender and body weight. (See Methodology for further detail and underlying assumptions.) The estimated average BAC for DWI offenders on probation was .19 grams of alcohol per deciliter of blood, while for convicted DWI offenders in jail it was .24 g/dl (table 11). Table 11. Estimated BAC levels for DWI offenders on probation and jail inmates convicted for DWI, by selected characteristics BAC levels (g/dl) Probationers Jail inmates Mean Median Mean Median Total 0.19 0.13 0.24 0.19 Gender Male 0.18 0.12 0.24 0.19 Female 0.22 0.2 0.3 0.25 Age 20 or younger 0.13 0.13 0.25 0.21 21-24 0.23 0.17 0.26 0.24 25-29 0.18 0.11 0.26 0.22 30-34 0.2 0.14 0.25 0.19 35-39 0.19 0.12 0.27 0.21 40-44 0.18 0.11 0.17 0.11 45-49 0.18 0.15 0.18 0.12 50 or older 0.15 0.09 0.25 0.25 Number of priors 0 0.18 0.12 0.24 0.19 1 0.19 0.18 0.24 0.14 2 0.2 0.15 0.22 0.18 3 0.24 0.12 0.24 0.16 4 0.19 0.14 0.25 0.25 5 or more 0.1 0.08 0.29 0.29 Beverage consumed prior to arrest Beer only 0.15 0.09 0.2 0.14 Liquor only 0.22 0.12 0.31 0.37 Beer and liquor 0.23 0.19 0.3 0.27 Other combination 0.21 0.19 0.26 0.19 Hours spent drinking 1 hour or less 0.13 0.08 0.14 0.08 2-3 0.15 0.1 0.17 0.12 4-5 0.19 0.14 0.26 0.2 6-7 0.25 0.21 0.29 0.25 8-9 0.28 0.26 0.31 0.3 10 hours or more 0.28 0.22 0.36 0.45 Note: Only those inmates convicted of DWI reported amount consumed and hours drinking, therefore BAC could only be calculated for convicted jail inmates. Females had a slightly higher estimated average BAC than males among both probationers (.22 g/dl compared to .18 g/dl) and jail inmates (.30 g/dl compared to .24 g/dl). Estimated BAC levels were the highest among probationers age 21-24 (.23 g/dl) and jail inmates age 35-39 (.27 g/dl). Except for offenders age 40-49, average BAC levels were higher for jail inmates than for probationers in every age group. Among DWI offenders in jail, those who drank liquor (.31 g/dl) or a combination of beer and liquor (.30 g/dl) prior to their arrest had a higher mean BAC than those who drank only beer (.20 g/dl). Among probationers, those who drank beer and liquor prior to their arrest had a higher estimated average BAC than those drinking other combinations of alcohol or beer only (.23 g/dl, .21 g/dl, and .15 g/dl, respectively). Average BAC levels increased sharply with the number of hours spent drinking. Among DWI offenders who said they had been drinking for more than 3 hours, those in jail had consistently higher average BAC levels than those on probation. Of those drinking for at least 8 hours prior to their arrest, the estimated BAC levels were nearly 3 times the legal limit of .10 g/dl. BAC, by hours spent drinking Blood alcohol concentration (g/dl) Hours drinking Probationers Jail inmates Up to 1 hour 0.125 0.143 2 0.136 0.177 3 0.175 0.171 4 0.197 0.244 5 0.186 0.269 6 0.274 0.294 7 0.169 0.288 8 0.278 0.314 9 0.243 0.271 10 or more 0.281 0.358 Nearly 1 in 3 DWI offenders on probation and 2 in 5 in jail reported drinking daily About 31% of DWI offenders on probation and nearly 40% of those in jail reported drinking daily (table 12). Over half of probationers and 44% of jail inmates reported drinking at least once a week. Table 12. Usual drinking behavior of DWI offenders on probation and jail inmates convicted of DWI, by amount of ethanol consumed prior to arrest Percent of DWI probationers, by amount Percent of DWI convicted jail inmates of ethanol consumed prior to arrest by amount of ethanol consumed prior to arrest All DWI 10 or All 10 or Frequency of proba- 01-1.99 2-4.99 5-9.99 more convicted 01-1.99 2-4.99 5-9.99 more usual drinking tioners. ounces ounces ounces ounces jail inmates ounces ounces ounces ounces Total 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% Daily 30.6 % 19.7 % 25.8 % 34.0% 48.2 % 39.8 % 21.4 % 35.2% 42.1% 51.5% At least once a week 50.8 53.3 54.0 50.9 45.1 43.9 59.0 39.0 49.1 39.1 Less than once a week 5.6 3.0 7.4 4.8 2.2 5.2 2.5 6.4 3.1 3.3 Once a month 6.5 12.8 6.4 5.5 0.0 8.5 7.8 16.9 2.9 5.7 Less than once a month 6.6 11.2 6.4 4.8 4.5 2.6 9.3 2.5 2.9 0.4 Note: Percents may not add to 100% because of rounding. Only jail inmates convicted of DWI reported frequency of drinking alcohol and amount of alcohol consumed prior to arrest. DWI offenders on probation or in jail who consumed more alcohol prior to their arrest reported a higher frequency of usual drinking. Of probationers who reported consuming less than 2 ounces of ethanol prior to arrest, 73% reported that they usually drank daily or at least once per week; of those in jail, 80%. Of those on probation or in jail who reported consuming 10 or more ounces of ethanol, 94% and 91%, respectively, reported usually drinking daily or at least once per week. Over a third of DWI offenders on probation and nearly half in jail exhibited signs of past alcohol dependence According to the CAGE diagnostic instrument , 37% of DWI offenders on probation and 47% of those in jail reported experiences which were consistent with a history of alcohol abuse or dependence (table 13). Table 13. Signs of alcohol dependency as determined by the CAGE questionnaire among probationers and jail inmates Percent of probationers Percent of jail inmates CAGE questions DWI Other DWI Other Have felt you should cut down offenders offenders offenders offenders on your drinking 68.2 % 38.7 % 74.1 % 46.7 % People have annoyed you by criticizing your drinking 38.8 21.2 47.6 28.9 Have felt bad or guilty your drinking 56.5 29.6 60.9 35.0 Have had a drink first the morning 23.8 16.4 37.7 27.4 3 or 4 yes responses* 37.4 % 18.0 % 46.6 % 25.0 % Note: Percents do not add to 100% because the categories are not mutually exclusive *Denotes history of alcohol abuse or dependence. More DWI offenders on probation or in jail reported alcohol abuse or dependence than other offenders. Among other offenders, about 1 in 6 probationers and 1 in 4 jail inmates reported 3 or more signs of alcohol dependence. Across each category of the CAGE questionnaire, a higher percentage of DWI offenders on probation or in jail reported positive responses than did other offenders. DWI offenders on probation or in jail most commonly reported they felt they should cut down on their drinking (68% and 74%). Both less frequently reported needing to have a drink first thing in the morning (24% of probationers and 38% of jail inmates). DWI offenders reported more alcohol- related troubles than other offenders To determine experiences related to alcohol use, offenders were asked whether because of their drinking they had lost a job or had been arrested or held at a police station or whether while drinking they had been in a domestic dispute or had gotten into a physical fight. A substantial percentage of both probationers and jail inmates reported troubled behavior associated with alcohol use. DWI offenders on probation or in jail reported higher rates of involvement in all four activities than did other offenders (table 14). Table 14. Experiences while under the influence of alcohol, by offenders on probation and in local jails Percent of probationers Percent of jail inmates DWI Other DWI Other Alcohol-related experiences offenders offenders offenders offenders Argued with family, friends, spouse, or boyfriend/girlfriend while drinking 55.0 % 38.1 % 65.7% 46.4 % Lost a job because of drinking 9.6 7.6 22.8 12.3 Arrested or held at a police station because of drinking 77.3 26.0 82.3 32.7 In a physical fight while drinking 33.9 29.0 49.9 41.0 Note: Percents will not add to 100% because the specified categories are not mutually exclusive. Among DWI offenders on probation orin jail, the most commonly reported experience associated with alcohol use was being arrested or held at a police station; reported by 77% of those on probation and 82% of those in jail. Over half of both probationers (55%) and jail inmates (66%) reported involvement in a domestic dispute while they were drinking. Nearly 10% of DWI offenders on probation and 23% in jail reported losing their job because of drinking. DWI offenders who consumed greater amounts of ethanol reported more signs of alcohol dependence As the amount of ethanol that DWI offenders reported consuming before arrest increased, so did their rates of involvement in alcohol-related experiences (table 15). Table 15. Alcohol dependence and related experiences, by the amount of alcohol that DWI offenders on probation and in local jails consumed prior to arrest Percent of DWI probationers by Percent of DWI jail inmates by amount the amount of ethanol consumed of ethanol consumed 01-1.99 2-4.99 5-6.99 7-9.99 10 or more 01-1.99 2-4.99 5-6.99 7-9.99 10 or more Ounces of ethanol ounces ounces ounces ounces ounces ounces ounces ounces ounces ounces consumed Signs of alcohol dependence Have felt you should cut down on your drinking 57.0% 63.8% 68.3% 78.1% 91.8% 65.3% 68.2% 62.3% 84.5% 88.8% People have annoyed you by criticizing your drinking 30.2 29.4 43.0 41.1 76.3 42.5 38.7 35.2 51.1 60.4 Have felt bad or guilty about drinking 43.4 54.0 63.7 62.0 75.0 47.7 51.0 54.7 65.3 77.2 Have had a drink first thing in the morning 12.1 12.4 30.3 27.1 60.3 28.1 29.7 18.6 32.1 61.8 3 or 4 yes responses* 28.5% 25.3 % 51.7 % 42.6 % 73.0 % 37.9% 40.7% 32.7% 46.2% 60.4 % Alcohol-related experiences Argued with family, friends, spouse, or boyfriend/girlfriend while drinking or right after drinking 38.3% 56.0% 52.5 % 53.6 % 79.7 % 49.8% 51.1% 60.5 % 83.3 % 86.7% Lost a job because of drinking 2.5 8.9 8.7 3.9 25.8 4.9 14.9 14.5 28.4 38.9 Arrested or held at a police station because of your drinking 65.9 76.7 85.8 76.0 90.3 9.9 77.8 82.8 88.1 91.9 In a physical fight while drinking 21.8 29.7 29.6 36.0 64.7 34.9 35.7 44.0 78.2 65.4 Note: Columns will not add to 100% because specific categories are not mutually exclusive. *Denotes history of alcohol abuse or dependence. Of DWI offenders who consumed less than 2 ounces of ethanol prior to arrest, 29% on probation and 38% in jail showed signs of alcohol dependence. Of those who consumed 10 or more ounces of ethanol prior to arrest, 73% of probationers and 60% of jail inmates showed signs of alcohol dependence. DWI offenders on probation or in jail reported more individual signs of alcohol dependence as the amount of ethanol consumed prior to arrest increased. Regardless of the amount of ethanol consumed, DWI offenders on probation or in jail most commonly reported they felt they should cut down on their drinking. High levels of past drug use reported by DWI offenders Over three-quarters of DWI offenders in jail and two-thirds of those on probation also reported using drugs in the past (table 16). Table 16. Prior drug use reported by probationers and jail inmates Percent of probationers Percent of jail inmates Level of prior drug use DWI offenders Other offenders DWI offenders Other offenders Ever used drugs/a 67.9 % 69.9 % 76.5 % 83.2 % Marijuana/hashish 64.6 67.2 72.7 78.9 Cocaine/Crack 28.1 31.7 40.6 51.4 Heroin/opiates 5.7 8.8 18.9 24.5 Depressants/b 14.6 15.6 27.6 30.2 Stimulants/c 28.5 24.4 35.5 33.7 Hallucinogens/d 19.9 19.6 33.2 32.2 Ever used drugs regularly/e 55.6 % 64.2 % 47.6 % 65.9 % Used drugs in month before arrest 16.6 % 35.7 % 30.2 % 51.2 % Used drugs at time of arrest 3.3 % 16.1 % 9.5 % 34.1 % a/Other unspecified drugs are included in the totals. b/Includes barbiturates, tranquilizers, and Quaalude. c/Includes amphetamine and methamphetamine. d/Includes LSD and PCP. e/Used drugs at least once a week for at least a month. Among DWI probationers, marijuana (65%) and stimulants (29%) were the most commonly used drugs, followed by cocaine-based drugs including crack (28%), hallucinogens (20%), depressants (15%), and opiates including heroin (6%). Among jail inmates held for DWI, marijuana (73%) and cocaine-based drugs including crack (41%) were the most commonly used followed by stimulants (36%), hallucinogens (33%), depressants (28%) and opiates including heroin (19%). Thirty percent of those in jail and 17% of those on probation reported drug use in the month prior to arrest. More DWI offenders in jail (10%) than on probation (3%) reported using drugs at the time of offense. Although jail inmates more commonly reported past use, use in the past month, and use at the time of arrest, more probationers (56%) reported being a regular user of drugs than did jail inmates (48%). In addition to being asked questions regarding alcohol-related experiences, offenders were also asked about experiences related to drug use. DWI offenders on probation or in jail reported lower rates of troubled behaviors than did other offenders across the four drug-related experiences considered (table 17). Table 17. Experiences while under the influence of drugs among probationers and local jail inmates Percent of probationers Percent of jail inmates DWI Other DWI Other Offenders offender offender offenders Argued with family, friends, spouse, or boyfriend/girlfriend while under the influence of drugs 19.4 % 27.1 % 24.9 % 40.7 % Lost a job because of drug use 2.6 7.7 10.2 17.6 Arrested or held at a police station because of drug use 11.2 19.1 18.6 28.5 In a physical fight while under the influence of drugs 8.1 14.7 14.7 28.7 Note: Percents will not add to 100% because the specified categories are not mutually exclusive. Among DWI offenders, the most commonly reported experience associated with drug use was domestic disputes: 19% of probationers and 25% of jail inmates said they had arguments with their family, friends, spouse, or boyfriend/girlfriend while under the influence of drugs. Nearly 1 in 5 of those in jail for DWI and about 1 in 10 of those on probation had been arrested or held in a police station as a result of their drug use. About 10% of DWI offenders in jail and 3% on probation had lost a job because of their drug use, and about 15% of those in jail and 8% of those on probation said they had been in a physical fight while under the influence of drugs. About two-thirds of DWI probationers and jail inmates had ever received any alcohol/drug treatment Nearly two-thirds of DWI offenders on probation, and over half of those in jail reported ever attending alcohol or drug abuse treatment, such as time spent in a residential facility, professional counseling, detoxification, or use of a maintenance drug (table 18). Table 18. Alcohol and drug treatment of DWI offenders on probation and in local jails Percent of DWI offenders Type of treatment or program Probationers Jail inmates Ever in any alcohol/drug program 72.4 % 78.1 % or treatment Ever any alcohol/drug treatment/a 61.2 % 55.2 % Since sentence began - Alcohol treatment 46.4 4.2 Drug treatment 8.2 1.6 Ever any alcohol/drug program/b 70.8 % 66.7 % Since sentence began - Alcohol program 61.7 17.3 Drug program 6.6 5.0 a/Treatment includes residential facilities, professional counseling, detoxification, or use of maintenance drugs. b/Programs include self-help groups, peer counseling, and education/awarenes programs. Since admission, nearly half (46%)of probationers and 4% of jail inmates reported receiving these types of alcohol treatment; 8% and 2%, respectively, reported receiving drug abuse treatment. About 71% of DWI offenders on probation and 67% of those in jail reported past participation in an alcohol or drug abuse program, such as self-help groups, peer counseling, and education/awareness programs. Sixty-two percent of probationers and 17% of jail inmates reported participation in an alcohol program since their sentencing; 7% and 5%, respectively, reported being in drug treatment. Overall, about three-quarters of DWI offenders on probation (72%) or in jail (78%) had taken part in either substance abuse treatment or other alcohol and drug programs in the past. DWI offenders who exhibited the greatest need more frequently reported receiving treatment Over three-quarters of DWI offenders on probation and nearly a quarter of those in jail who were alcohol dependent reported participating in alcohol treatment or programs. If they answered yes to fewer than three Cage queries, 65% of the DWI offenders on probation and 15% of those in jail participated in alcohol treatment or programs. DWI offenders with prior DWI offenses reported higher rates of participation in alcohol treatment and programs than did those with no prior DWI offense. Among DWI offenders on probation with prior DWI offenses, those who reported five or more had a higher rate of participation in alcohol treatment and programs than did those who reported one to two prior DWI offenses (100% and 82%, respectively). Of DWI offenders in jail with prior DWI offenses, between 21% and 25% reported that they had participated in alcohol treatment or programs. Among DWI offenders with no prior history of DWI offenses, 67% of probationers and 11% of jail inmates had received treatment while under sentence. Percent of DWI offenders in alcohol treatment or program since sentence began Probationers Jail inmates CAGE responses Fewer than 3 65.0 % 14.9 % 3 or more 83.6 21.3 Number of prior DWI sentences 0 66.9 % 10.6 % 1-2 81.9 21.0 3-4 74.0 24.2 5 or more 100.0 22.2 Since their sentence began, over 40% of DWI offenders on probation who reported using drugs at the time of their offense had participated in drug treatment or programs; 13% of those who reported prior drug use, and 22% of those who were regular drug use. Of DWI offenders in jail who reported using drugs at the time of their offense, 25% reported some type of drug treatment since their admission, as did 7% of those who reported any prior drug use and 9% of those who were regular users. Percent of DWI offenders in drug treatment or program since sentence began Proba- Jail Drug use tioners inmates Ever used 13.2 % 7.1 % Ever used regularly* 22.1 9.0 Used at time of offense 43.3 25.4 *Used drugs at least once per week for at least a month About 1 in 7 DWI offenders on probation and 1 in 5 in jail reported ever receiving mental health treatment Overall, a smaller proportion of DWI offenders than other offenders received mental health treatment. Fifteen percent of DWI offenders on probation and 20% of those in jail reported ever receiving mental health treatment, compared to 23% of other, non-DWI offenders on probation and 26% of those in jail (table 19). Table 19. Mental health treatment received by offenders on probation and in local jails Percent of Percent probationers of jail inmates DWI Other DWI Other Mental health treatment offenders offenders offenders offenders Ever received any mental health treatment 15.0 % 22.9 % 20.4 % 25.5 % Received mental health treatment since sentence began 3.9 8.8 10.1 11.3 Took prescribed medication Ever 8.0 12.7 13.6 17.6 Since sentence began 3.6 7.2 8.4 9.1 Admitted to a mental hospital Ever 4.8 9.1 8.9 10.2 Since sentence began 0.5 2.3 1.3 1.4 Received individual/group counseling Ever 14.1 20.9 12.2 19.0 Since sentence began 4.2 11.8 2.4 4.6 Received other mental health services Ever 1.6 3.5 1.8 3.0 Since sentence began 0.4 2.1 0.1 0.5 About 9% of other offenders on probation and 11% of those in jail reported receiving treatment since their sentence began; among DWI offenders, 4% of those on probation and 10% of those in jail had received treatment since their sentence began. The most commonly reported mental health treatment received by DWI offenders on probation was individual or group counseling (14% ever receiving it and 4% since their sentence began). Among DWI offenders in jail, the most common mental health treatment reported was the use of prescription medication (14% ever having taken medication and 8% since their sentence began). Methodology Data Sources Data in this report are based on personal interviews with probationers, jail inmates, and State prison inmates. In three BJS surveys, the 1995 Survey of Adults of Probation, the 1996 Survey of Inmates and Local Jails, and the 1997 Survey of Inmates in State Correctional Facilities, offenders were randomly selected from a nationally representative sample of agencies or facilities and were asked questions regarding their current offense and sentence, criminal history, personal and family background, alcohol and drug use and treatment, and mental health treatment. Figure 3 Key survey items on alcohol use at time of arrest Had you been drinking alcohol at the time of the offense 1 Yes 2 No About how many hours had you been drinking? Enter hours ___ In the hours you spent drinking prior to your arrest did you drink any beer? 1 Yes 2 No What was the total amount of beer that you drank? -- 8-ounce glasses -- 12-ounce glasses -- 16-ounce glasses -- Quarts -- 40-ounce bottles -- Pitchers -- Six-packs (7-8 ounces) -- Six-packs (12 ounces) In the hours you spent drinking prior to your arrest d you drink any wine? 1 Yes 2 No What was the total number of glasses or bottles of wine or wine coolers that you drank? -- 6-ounce glasses -- 8-ounce glasses -- 12-ounce glasses -- 16-ounce glasses -- Wine bottles (25 ounces) -- Carafes (1 liter) -- Magnums (50 ounces) -- 1/2 gallons (63 ounces) -- 3-liter bottles -- Gallons (4 liters) In the hours you spent drinking prior to your arrest did you drink any liquor? 1 Yes 2 No What was the total amount of liquor that you drank? -- Ounces (shots) -- 1/2 pints -- Pints -- Fifths -- Quarts or liters -- 1/2 gallons ***************************************** Detailed descriptions of the methodology and sample design of each survey can be found in the following: Substance Abuse and Treatment of Adults on Probation, 1995 (NCJ 166611); Profile of Jail Inmates, 1996 (NCJ 164629); and Substance Abuse and Treatment of State and Federal Prisoners, 1997 (NCJ 172871). Accuracy of the estimates The accuracy of the estimates presented in this report depends on two types of error: sampling and nonsampling. Sampling error is the variation that may occur by chance because a sample rather than a complete numeration of the population was conducted. Nonsampling error can be attributed to many sources, such as nonresponses, differences in the interpretation of questions among inmates, recall difficulties, and processing errors. In any survey the full extent of the nonsampling error is never known. The sampling error, as measured by an estimated standard error, varies by the size of the estimate and the size of the base population. Estimates of the standard errors for selected characteristics have been calculated for the 1995 probation survey, the 1996 survey of jail inmates, and the 1997 survey of state prisoners (see appendix tables). These standard errors may be used to construct confidence intervals around percentages. For example, the 95% confidence interval around the percentage of probationers who were first time offenders is approximately 62.7% plus or minus 1.96 times 2.58% (or 57.6% to 67.8%). These standard errors may also be used to test the statistical significance of the difference between two sample statistics by pooling the standard errors of the two sample estimates. For example, the standard error of the difference between probationers and jail inmates who were first time offenders would be 3.61% (or the square root of the sum of the squared standard errors for each group). The 95% confidence interval around the difference would be 1.96 times 3.61% (or 7.08%). Since the difference of 30.2% (62.7% minus 32.5%) is greater than 7.08%, the difference would be considered statistically significant. Estimating the number of DWI offenders under correctional supervision Estimates of the number of DWI offenders on probation were calculated from the counts from the Annual Probation Survey 1986, 1990, and 1997. The total number of DWI offenders was estimated from the Annual Surveys. The percent of known DWI offenders was multiplied by the total probation population for each given year. Estimates of the number of DWI offenders in local jail were calculated by multiplying the ratio of the number of DWI offenders to the total inmate population from the Survey of Inmates in Local Jails, 1983, 1989, and 1996 times the total jail population from the 1986, 1990, and 1997 Annual Survey of Jails. Estimates of the number of DWI offenders in State prison were calculated by multiplying the 1986, 1991, and 1997 ratio of the number of DWI offenders in State prisons to the total population times the 1986, 1991, and 1997 yearend custody counts reported in the National Prisoner Statistics. Appendix table 1. Standard errors of selected characteristics of DWI offenders on probation, in local jails, and in State prisons Standard errors for estimated percentages Selected characteristics Probationers Jail inmates State prisoners Gender Male 1.98 % 1.02 % 2.04 % Female 2.1 1.02 1.03 Age 20 or younger 0.69 % 0.59 % 0.6 % 21-24 1.59 1.55 1.52 25-29 1.93 1.98 2.66 30-34 2.12 2.18 3.66 35-39 2.06 2.61 3.74 40-44 1.84 1.96 2.95 45-49 1.29 1.39 2.46 50 or older 1.88 1.58 2.73 Race/Hispanic origin White* 2.35 % 3.15 % 4.43 % Black* 1.73 1.79 3.11 Hispanic 1.56 2.65 3.80 Other 1.17 1.07 1.86 Prior sentences First time offender 2.58 % 2.53 % 2.98 % DWI priors only 2.07 2.08 3.35 Other offense priors on 1.06 1.45 3.63 DWI and other priors 1.89 2.77 4.21 Prior DWI sentences None 2.52 % 2.63 % 4.14 % 1 2.08 1.95 3.90 2 1.27 1.93 3.03 3 1.22 2.23 2.20 4 0.56 1.44 1.67 5 or more 0.69 2.12 2.01 Criminal justice status No status 1.69 % 2.78 % 4.24 % Probation/parole 1.50 2.87 4.26 Bail/pretrial release 0.87 1.40 -- Other type of release 0.00 0.60 1.20 *Excludes Hispanics Measuring sentence length The average sentence length calculated for both probationers and jail inmates may be overestimates. Sentence length for probationers was calculated for persons currently on probation. Persons who entered probation with shorter sentences left probation more quickly, resulting in a longer average sentence length among persons remaining to be sampled for the SAP. For jail inmates, sentence length was calculated for the population held in jail at the time of the survey. Because data on sentence length is restricted to persons in jail, they may overstate the average sentence to be served by those entering jail during a specified time period (an admission cohort). Persons with shorter sentences leave jail more quickly, so that the average sentence of a population in custody emphasizes those who stay longer. Estimating ounces of ethanol consumed Detailed data from probationers and jail inmates were collected on the quantity of beer, wine, and liquor consumed prior to their arrest. The reported amount of alcohol consumed was converted into ounces in order to estimate the ounces of ethanol consumed. One ounce of ethanol is equivalent to the following: 24 ounces of beer (4% alcohol content), 7 ounces of wine (14% alcohol content), or 2 ounces of liquor (100 proof or 50% alcohol content). In order to determine the amount of ethanol in a six-pack of 12- ounce beers, 6 is multiplied by 12 and then divided by 24, equating to 3 ounces of ethanol. Conversions are approximations since some beer, wine, or liquor may have a different alcohol content. Mixed drinks were assumed to contain 1.5 ounces of liquor. Appendix table 2. Standard errors of alcohol/drug use and treatment of DWI offenders on probation and in local jails Standard errors for Alcohol/drug use estimated percent and treatment Probationers Jail inmates Ounces of ethanol consumed .01-1.99 oz 2.23 % 2.13 % 2-4.99 2.72 3.07 5-6.99 1.96 2.88 7-9.99 1.65 2.04 10-14.99 1.29 2.47 15 oz or more 1.42 2.21 Hours spent drinking 1 hour or less 1.84 % 2.34 % 2-3 2.63 2.63 2-4 2.27 2.78 6-7 1.71 2.11 8-9 1.40 1.66 10-11 0.74 1.27 10-12 1.30 1.61 Signs of alcohol dependence Have felt you should cut down on your drink 2.50 % 2.55 % People have annoyed you by criticizing your 2.63 2.82 Have felt bad or guilty about your drinking 2.66 3.14 Have had a drink first thing in the morning 2.29 3.02 3 or 4 yes responses* 2.58 % 2.90 % Prior drug use Ever used 2.51 % 2.39 % Ever used regularly 3.24 2.83 Used in month before arrest 2.00 2.74 Used at time of arrest 0.96 1.83 Alcohol/drug treatment or program Ever any alcohol/drug treatment 2.60 % 3.31 % Ever any alcohol/drug program 2.43 2.72 Mental health treatment Ever received 1.91 % 2.28 % Received since sentence began 1.04 1.75 *Denotes history of alcohol abuse or dependence Calculating BAC levels The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has provided a formula that permits an estimate of Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) to be made based upon the self-reported drinking behavior of the offender immediately preceding the commission of the offense. The formula requires the collection of data from offenders about the type of alcoholic beverage consumed, the alcohol content of the beverage, the quantity consumed, the amount of time spent drinking, the drinker's gender, and the body weight of the offender. BAC(h) =[(A/(r x p))/10] - (h x K) BAC(h) = Blood alcohol concentration at time h A = grams of ethanol consumed which is equal to: [(ounces of ethanol) x (.82)] /.035 r = reduced body mass (.68 for males and .55 for females) p = weight in kilograms which is equal to: weight in lbs./2.2046 h = hours drinking K = estimated rate at which the body metabolizes ethanol (.015 ounces per hour) BAC may be affected by numerous factors, including physiological differences, food consumption, the amount of ethanol ingested, and the time elapsed between drinking and testing. Several assumptions underlie the estimations made of blood alcohol concentration. First, the average weight of the male and the female DWI offenders was the body weight used in the calculation. Second, an average rate of metabolism was assumed for the jail inmates equivalent to the general population, though such differences exist in physiology and alcohol tolerance. Third, the rate of alcohol consumption was assumed to be stable over the drinking session prior to arrest. If, for example, 6 ounces of ethanol were consumed during a 4-hour drinking session, the formula assumes that 1.5 ounces of ethanol were consumed per hour. And, lower and upper BAC limits were set. Persons under correctional supervision for a DWI offense presumably at the time of their arrest had a BAC of .08 g/dl, therefore any BAC falling below that level was recoded to .08 g/dl. Likewise, an upper BAC limit was set. When BAC levels increase to .50 g/dl or more, it is likely that breathing will stop and many will die. Therefore, all BAC levels higher than .50 g/dl were recoded to .51 g/dl. For further reading about DWI offenders and offenders use of alcohol Alcohol and Crime. BJS report, NCJ 168632, April 1998. Alcohol Highway Safety, Problem Update. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, April 1998. Drunk Driving: 1989 Survey of Inmates of Local Jails. BJS Special Report, NCJ 134728, September 1992. Drunk Driving. BJS Special Report, NCJ 109945, February 1988. Jacobs, James B. Drunk Driving: An American Dilemma. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press, 1989. The Bureau of Justice Statistics is the statistical agency of the U.S. Department of Justice. Jan M. Chaiken, Ph.D., is director. BJS Special Reports address a specific topic in depth from one or more datasets that cover many topics. Laura M. Maruschak wrote this report under the supervision of Allen J. Beck. Christopher Mumola and Todd Minton provided statistical assistance. Tom Hester edited the report. Marilyn Marbrook, assisted by Yvonne Boston, prepared the report for publication. June 1999, NCJ 172212 This report and others from the Bureau of Justice Statistics are available through the Internet -- http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/ The data from the 1997 Surveys of Inmates in State and Federal Correc- tional Facilities, the 1995 Survey of Adults on Probation, and the 1996 Survey of Inmates in Local Jails are available from the National Archive of Criminal Justice Data, maintained by the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan, 1-800- 999-0960. The archive may also be accessed through the BJS Internet site. END OF FILE 6/10/99 ih