How Youth Charged with DWI Offenses are Processed in US Courts

Since 1998 the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention's (OJJDP) has funded communities, police agencies, and media campaigns aimed at curbing underage drinking through public education and enforcement through the Enforcement of Underage Drinking Laws Program (EUDL). Among the behavioral health and safety problems addressed is youth DWI. Approximately 10% of high school students report drinking and driving in the past 30 days, and 30% report having ridden in a car with a driver who has been drinking (CDC, 2010). In 2007 there were 18,200 DWI arrests of juveniles, yet it is unknown how and where juvenile DWI cases are processed in U.S. courts. Further, it is unknown if courts identify underlying behavioral health problems such as substance use and mental illness often targeted in treatment courts, linking offenders with evidence-based treatment. In this NIJ-funded study, we will for the first time identify the responsible court and the procedures for adjudicating juvenile alcohol-related DWI cases in the 50 states, District of Columbia, and U.S. territories through a mail/web survey. Our sample includes all state and territory EUDL administrators, state-level court administrators, and juvenile mental health court administrators. We identify the range of sanctions given to youth charged with DWI as well as court-mandated testing, screening, and assessments for substance use and mental illness. The courts that process youth DWI offenders provide an opportunity to screen for and assess underlying behavioral health problems in at risk youth, addressing potential public health concerns at an early stage.