DUI recidivism: a comparison of Mexican Americans and whites in a northern California county.
OBJECTIVE
While Hispanic offenders for driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI) in California are more likely to have a history of multiple offenses compared to whites, little is known about characteristics associated with DUI recidivism in either ethnic group. Demographic and DUI conviction characteristics associated with DUI recidivism are analyzed among Mexican American and white DUI offenders in a Northern California county.


METHODS
A sample of 459 primarily Mexican Americans and 490 whites were randomly selected from records supplied by the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) on over 16,000 DUI offenders in the county during a 3-year period. DMV data on DUI convictions in the 1- and 5-year period preceding the identifying DUI offense and the year following the identifying offense (the recidivism conviction) were analyzed.


RESULTS
Rates of recidivism were significantly lower for Mexican Americans (5%) compared to whites (11%) who were arrested for DUI but not convicted, but higher for those convicted (12% vs. 5%). While conviction status of the identifying DUI offense was not predictive of recidivism among Mexican Americans, a DUI conviction in the preceding year was significantly predictive. Among white arrestees, receiving a conviction was significantly, and negatively, predictive of recidivism, but among those who were convicted, a previous DUI conviction in the last year was predictive of recidivism. Referral to a DUI treatment program was not a significant predictor of recidivism among those convicted in either ethnic group.


CONCLUSIONS
The data suggest that conviction for a DUI may not play the same role in the likelihood of subsequent DUI convictions for Mexican Americans as for whites, and this difference may need to be considered in DUI treatment programs. Additional research on ethnic differences in DUI offenses and recidivism over longer periods of follow-up is needed to determine ethnic-specific intervention and prevention strategies for DUI.
Cherpitel
Cheryl J
CJ
Alcohol Research Group, Public Health Institute, 2000 Hearst Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94709, USA. c.cherpitel@arg.org
Bond
Jason
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017058:Mexican Americans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data