The Panhandle Region of North Idaho has the highest number of impaired driving deaths and injuries in the state. It also has the highest Driving Under the Influence (DUI) recidivism rate. Federal highway safety funds have been wisely spent to support law enforcement efforts to combat impaired driving. Despite the unprecedented levels of enforcement, the county court systems have not dealt well with impaired driving issues because of plea-bargaining, reduced sentences, cases tossed out due to unreasonable court or trial delays, and massive over-crowding. As a result, the DUI offenders are back on the streets drinking or drugging and driving without having to face the legal or monetary consequences for these actions.

Kootenai County is the third-largest county in the State with a population of more than 100,000. It is also one of the fastest growing counties in the Pacific Northwest. The Kootenai County DUI Court Program is a cooperative effort among the various prosecutors� offices in Kootenai County, First District Court, Kootenai County adult misdemeanor probation, the defense bar, substance abuse professionals in the community, state and local law enforcement, Mother�s Against Drunk Driving (MADD), and the Idaho Transportation Department�s Office of Highway Safety.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The ultimate objective is to support the statewide highway safety goal of reducing motor vehicle-related fatalities and injuries due to impaired driving crashes. A pilot program called �Fast-Track� DUI Court is an effort to substantially reduce DUI recidivism among high Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) levels and chronic/repeat DUI offenders through tough consequences; intense supervision; and meaningful substance abuse evaluation, treatment and aftercare.

The intermediate objectives include:

• Maintaining and refining a court protocol for a �Fast-Track� DUI Court that is modeled after the National Strategy for DUI/Drug Courts;

• Identifying, hiring, and training required staff;

• Establishing incentives, an intense supervised probation program, and an effective and meaningful substance abuse evaluation, treatment and aftercare program for all �Fast Track� DUI Court participants; and

• Evaluating the effectiveness of the �Fast Track� DUI Court in reducing DUI recidivism in North Idaho.

STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES

The Manager of the Office of Highway Safety directs and administers federal funding for this pilot program. The year 2002 is the second year of this pilot program in Idaho.

DUI Court protocol includes all of the essential elements as defined by the National Strategy for DUI/Drug Courts:

• A focus on excessive BAC and repeat offenders with aggressive and speedy prosecution.

• Mandatory willful guilty plea and waiver of speedy trial with sentence reduction incentives.

• Mandatory random drug/alcohol screening, professional substance abuse evaluation, treatment, meaningful aftercare, and intense supervised probation before sentencing.

• Mandatory Administrative Licensing System, drivers license suspension, jail time and ignition interlock, in accordance with Idaho.

• Mandatory appearance at DUI court with a direct, ongoing relationship between the judge and offender.

• Coordinated management, monitoring, and evaluation systems.

The DUI Court Staff includes a DUI Court Coordinator, Judges Pro Tempore, a DUI Misdemeanor Probation Officer, Bailiffs, a Substance Abuse Evaluator, a Prosecutor, a Public Defender, a Law Enforcement Liaison, and Clerical Support/Court Recorder.

RESULTS

As of June 2002, there were thirty-three participants and nine graduates from the program. Another six people were terminated for program failure and were sentenced to maximum penalties. As the second year of the project closes, there have been no repeat offenses by participants or graduates and those who successfully completed the program received reduced sentences.