This report covers an evaluation of accredited traffic violator schools in California, which were established by mandate of Senate Bill 193 for persons convicted of a nonalcohol-related traffic offense. Because there were questions about the extent to which the evaluated schools were representative of the entire population of schools, generalizing the present results to the entire state involves some risk. In no event can it be inferred from this research that all TVS programs are ineffective. Despite these qualifications, the results raise strong doubts about the efficacy of most TVSs as presently constituted and bring into question the Senate Bill 193 accreditation program. Several speculations are offered as to why the schools are not as effective as in earlier years, including the possibility that the current policy of dismissing convictions for attendees has decreased the deterrent impact of the citation adjudication process. The authors recommend that the accreditation program either be discontinued (repeal Senate Bill 193), or that substantial funds be invested to improve it. The latter alternative is viewed as having doubtful cost-effectiveness potential.
Abstract