Recidivism of drunken driving (BAC less than or equal to 0.05 percent) was followed on the basis of sentences from 1971 to 1993 in the following groups: (1) all drivers in Helsinki metropolitan area sentenced in 1990 (2477); (2) in 1991 (2166); and (3) a statistical sample from the whole country sentenced in 1982 (3540). About one third of the two Helsinki groups had previously been sentenced for drunk driving during the last 5 years. There were no large differences between age groups, the highest found (55 percent) being 35 to 39 year old males in 1990. This group of 285 persons had been sentenced 429 times between 1971 and 1989. A follow up of the whole country group sentenced in 1982 showed that 5 percent were guilty of drunk showed that 5 percent were guilty of drunk driving in 1982 and that during 1983-1993 the percentage of younger age groups (less than 40 years of age in 1982) increased to about 50 in 1993. It decreased in elder groups being about half in 1993 for the age group of 50 to 54 years. A sentence for drunken driving is a bad sign with respect to recidivism and measures towards rehabilitation should be taken at the first conviction. (A)
Abstract