Do alcohol interlocks reduce recidivism among first time offenders?
• Four studies, each with a unique population, different measures of recidivism, and varying evaluation periods, have concluded that alcohol interlocks are effective in reducing recidivism among first-time offenders (EMT Group 1990; Morse and Elliot 1992; Tippets and Voas 1998; Voas et al. 1999). • An evaluation study conducted in New Mexico (2004) compared data from a court ordered interlock group (n=862) with data from a non-interlock group (n=11,973). The findings confirmed that the recidivism rate was significantly lower among first offenders on the interlock. The re-arrest rate per year for interlock participants was 3.51%, while the non-interlocked group had a significantly higher re-arrest rate of 7.09% (Voas et al. 2005). • An Alberta, Canada study compared first offenders with alcohol interlocks to a control group of reinstated and non-interlocked drivers and found an 89% reduction in recidivism when comparing first offenders with alcohol interlocks to reinstated drivers (Voas
