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Tippetts, S.; Voas, R.; Marques, P.; Timken, D.; Blackman, K.; and Field, C. In Proceedings of the T2007 Joint International Meeting of TIAFT/ICADTS/IIS, August 26-30, (2007) This study examines the question of whether a structured 12 hour motivational support program known as SIP (Support for Interlock Planning), specifically keyed to the interlock, can improve the separation of drinking and driving initially, and later reduce the recidivism rate of offenders after the period of interlock controlled driving has ended. Approximately 10% of 320 first time offenders ordered to the program by Judges in Dallas, Tarrant and Collin County Texas failed to complete the intervention program; 292 (90%) completed it. The intervention included 4 structured group sessions (total 8-10 hrs) and 4 individually focused sessions (approx. 2 hrs). During the individual sessions counselors were to review breath test records and other information germane to behavior change. Pre and post surveys with AUDIT, DRINC and other assessments showed that within the offender groups exposed to the SIP intervention there were changes across all subscales in reported drinking and drinking related consequences (P<.0001). In order to approach the question of whether there was an overall benefit to the intervention program relative to no program, data from the ignition interlock records were examined and compared to non-equivalent but matched comparison groups of offenders with ignition interlocks who were not similarly ordered onto SIP. Three of the five interlock providers operating in the area could supply comprehensive and readable records of breath test data; intervention and comparison cases' BAC test data were studied from those providers. We have shown in several prior reports that a higher rate of elevated breath tests relative to total breath tests is predictive of future DUI recidivism. Accordingly we examined the relationship between intervention and BAC test data as a proxy for future driver risk. Controlling for provider and vehicle usage, those offenders who had the benefit of the SIP intervention were significantly less likely to have elevated breath tests than those who were not in the program (P<.03). We conclude that behavior change intervention based on a motivational enhancement approach, and keyed to the ignition interlock data, can facilitate behavior change of interlock-using DUI offenders. Long term outcomes differences based on future recidivism cannot be adequately estimated in this study due to the restricted sample size available for study.
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