DUI and Acculturation, Is There a Relationship? A Study of Mexican American Men Residing in Pima County, Arizona Effectiveness

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION1

Background of the research1

National Statistics1

Assessment5

Acculturation6

Conceptual Approaches to Acculturation7

Identification Challenges11

Theory13

Purpose of the Study15

Research variables15

Research questions15

Hypothesis16

Definition of Terms16

Layout of the Dissertation17

REFERENCES19



CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Background of the research

Since the 1990s, state legislatures across the United States have enacted new laws related to driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or other psychoactive substances (Ferguson, Burns, Fiorentino ,Williams, Garcia, 2002). This legislation intended to discourage motorists from using alcohol while driving. For example, since 1998, the legal blood-alcohol level has been lowered from 0.10 to .08 within all 50 states. The effectiveness of these new laws is difficult to determine; however, the percentage of alcohol-related, fatal automobile accidents within the United States has decreased since the 1990s (Zimmerman, Sodowsky, 1993). During 1983, 57% of all fatal crashes were alcohol related; this statistic increased by 41% in 2007 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Research conducted by the Schell, Chan, Morral, (2006) indicated that lowering the legal-blood alcohol level has resulted in fewer alcohol-related, fatal automobile accidents. Yet, DUI offenders continue to ignore, or consciously violate, DUI laws, despite this concerted effort to remove alcohol-impaired motorists from the road.

National Statistics

During 2006, the percentage of alcohol-related automobile accidents increased 2.4% from the previous year. The alarming statistics on alcohol-related accidents and fatalities clearly indicate the cause for concern. According to the Caetano, Raspberry, (2000), American automobile drivers and passengers die at a significantly higher rate when alcohol is involved in an accident. During 2000, alcohol-related crashes cost the U.S. public $50 billion (Caetano, Medina, 1988). On average, one individual dies every 30 minutes in an alcohol-related traffic accident, while one individual is injured every 2 minutes. Nearly three out of every 10 Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related traffic accident during their lifetimes. During 2004, police arrested and charged approximately 1.4 million motorists with DUI, which is an average of one arrest for every 139 licensed drivers within this country. Although the described statistics on DUI fatalities are disturbing, there is reason to be optimistic surrounding a future decrease in the number of such accidents. This national problem is receiving a high degree of attention from the U.S. government and civic groups attempting to address the problem. The Washington State Legislature passed several revisions of law related to DUI during 1999 in an effort toward reduction of the number of offenders (Lee, López, Hernández, Colby, Caetano, Borrelli, Rohsenow, 2011).

The revisions included increases in sentencing guidelines, driver's-license suspensions, and requirements for ignition interlock systems (i.e., breath-alcohol sensing devices) to be installed in the automobiles of offenders. Fiorentino, Berger, Ramirez, (2007) reported that DUI laws in California mandating treatment for alcohol dependence along with driver's-license restrictions have been effective in lowering recidivism rates (Caetano, Medina, Schafer, Marino, 1999). Legal solutions to complex social issues are often only partially successful in meeting the established goals of such ...