By Senator Andrew W. Roraback

Because we all are human, I believe that those who make mistakes - even serious, socially harmful mistakes – ought to have the opportunity to rehabilitate themselves. For the past 20 years, Connecticut has offered a pre-trial alcohol education program intended to provide just such an opportunity for first time offenders of the state’s drunken driving laws.

However, if the success of the program is measured in the recidivism rate of its graduates, then no one in state government can say with any certainty how effective Connecticut’s pre-trial alcohol education program is. As a member of the General Assembly’s Judiciary Committee, that is a problem I plan to address during the upcoming legislative session.

According a report recently completed at my request by the Office of Legislative Research, Connecticut’s pre-trial alcohol education program is administered by the state Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and delivered by 12 providers under contract to the state. Even though the court system and the state Department of Motor Vehicles are also involved, there is no mechanism in place for determining the recidivism rate of program participants, or for monitoring the effectiveness of the program and recommending any needed improvements.

This is especially troubling because Connecticut, unlike other states, allows those who successfully complete the program to avoid all criminal sanctions. Generally, those who successfully complete alcohol education programs in other states can have their sanctions reduced, but not eliminated.
There was a time, not so long ago, when the state Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services could calculate recidivism rates for program participants by merging its database with the driving record computer files of the state Department of Motor Vehicles. However, that capability was lost sometime in the mid-1990s when knowledgeable staff in both departments retired. Due to software changes, new computer programs would have to be written in order to once again allow the state to determine the recidivism rate of participants in the pre-trial alcohol education program.

We need this information, both for the good of the individuals who participate in the pre-trial alcohol program and for the good of the general public that rightfully expects the state to fairly and appropriately address the problems that arise from drunken driving. If we create a mechanism to track the successes, we will learn which programs are most effective among the 12 providers that work under contract to the state. With that kind of valuable information in hand, the state departments of motor vehicles and mental health and addiction services, along with the judicial system, can work together to ensure that Connecticut has the best possible, and most effective, pre-trial alcohol education program. Also, that information would be useful to the legislature in determining the need for stiffer sanctions for first-time offenders of our drunken driving laws.

Between now and the beginning of the 2004 Legislative Session, I plan to meet with officials of the judicial system and the departments of mental health and addiction services and motor vehicles to ask their opinions of the program and their recommendations for improving it. Also, I would like to hear more from those who have actually participated in the pre-trial education program. So far, I have heard from those who feel the program made a tremendous, positive, difference in their lives – as well as from those who were disappointed. The more information we have – statistical as well as anecdotal – the better prepared we legislators will be to adopt appropriate, responsible legislation.

As always, I am very interested in learning your thoughts on this issue, and others that affect our state. So, please, keep sending me e-mails, calling my office and, and writing me letters expressing your ideas and asking questions. I welcome your input. I can be reached toll-free at my office in Hartford at 1-800-842-1421, or by e-mail at Andrew.Roraback@cga.ct.gov.

In addition, I have also begun to send out a periodic e-mail newsletter regarding legislative activities in Hartford. If you would like to sign up to receive my newsletter, please visit www.senaterepublicans.ct.gov, click on my homepage and follow the directions.

Senator Andrew Roraback represents the 30th Senatorial District, which includes the communities of Brookfield, Canaan, Cornwall, Goshen, Kent, Litchfield, Morris, New Milford, North Canaan, Salisbury, Sharon, Warren, Washington, Winsted and part of Torrington.