Who Are the Repeat DWI Offenders?
Of repeat DWI offenders who were interviewed while in jail, 52 percent were on probation, parole, or pre-trial release when they committed the offense for which they were imprisoned (Maruschak, 1999). Jones and Lacey (2001) conducted a literature review on repeat DWI offenders and found that they typically share the following characteristics: White, male, under 40, single High school or less education, non-white-collar employment A blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .18 or greater at arrest On average, two or three prior DWI offenses, several prior “other traffic” citations More prior criminal offenses than first offenders Generally drink beer, in bars and at home Often alcohol-dependent and have personality and psychosocial problems, including: Verbal hostility Assault-prone Sensation seeking Impulse expression Personal problems Low levels of responsible values and compatibility with parents Recidivists have also been found to have more severe mental health problems (Mayhew and Simp
