It is now widely acknowledged that DWI system improvements are needed to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the criminal DWI system and prevent offenders from slipping through the cracks. Repeat offenders in particular are savvy to the weaknesses and loopholes in the system and know how to avoid the sanctions and programs designed to protect the public from them. In an effort to close these loopholes and streamline the DWI system, priority problems and solutions have been extensively documented at all levels of the system -- enforcement, prosecution, sanctioning, and supervision -- as part of a unique, multi-year study by the Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF) involving several thousand front-line professionals across the country.

Promoting practical, widely-supported solutions to these problems has become a priority of a newly formed coalition -- The Working Group on DWI System Improvements -- involving 14 different criminal justice organizations from across the country (www.tirf.org). Led by TIRF and supported by a charitable contribution from Anheuser-Busch, this coalition is spearheading efforts to make the DWI system more effective. A core activity of the coalition involves the creation of an inventory of programs, practices, and policies that address system problems -- i.e., who is doing what, and where, to make the system work better.

The recently launched, electronic inventory is designed to be a resource for professionals, practitioners, legislators, and others who are seeking information about unique, practical and effective ways to address problems in the DWI system. Entries are organized according to six priority areas where criminal justice professionals believe improvements are needed -- communication and cooperation, training and education, technology, records, legislation and resources. The inventory includes national, state-wide, regional, and local initiatives. Each is clearly identified in terms of its relevancy to the various professional groups - police, prosecutors, judges and supervision - and includes a brief description of the initiative along with other relevant information such as the agency administering it, the target group, where it operates, who funds it, and who to contact for more information.

You are encouraged to submit information about your programs, policies and practices that are designed to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the DWI system. Others can benefit directly from your experiences and successes.

Submissions can be made electronically at www.tirf.org. Click on the inventory of initiatives and follow the “submit information” link.

The Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF), based in Montreal, produces a variety of reports and other resources to help reduce traffic injuries and fatalities in North America. To keep up on developments and establish their own priorities, they consult annually with representatives of law enforcement, prosecution, probation and parole services, and the judiciary. Paul Biderman of New Mexico has twice represented NASJE in TIRF's working groups, and forwards this recent announcement from them. It describes the electronic inventory of initiatives that they have compiled through these working group sessions and other submissions throughout the year. It could be a valuable resource for your courts, especially if they are considering instituting new initiatives.

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