High-BAC (Blood Alcohol Concentration) sanctioning systems seek to reduce recidivism among a high-risk group of impaired drivers. Minnesota's 1998 high-BAC law imposes more severe administrative and court sanctions on offenders with BAC > or = .20 than on offenders with BAC < .20. After the law, high-BAC first-time repeat offenders did, in fact, receive more severe case dispositions (e.g., longer license revocation, stronger vehicle sanctions) than lower-BAC offenders. Alcohol test refusals declined. The severity of sanctions for high-BAC offenders declined in 1999 vs. 1998, especially for BACs .20-.22. Recidivism for high-BAC first offenders in 1998 was lower than for offenders with BACs .17-.19. (Author/publisher)
Abstract