A new Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Court Monitoring Report found only 34 percent of drunk driving cases in Louisiana ended with a guilty conviction for the original charge in 2019, compared to 37 percent in 2018.
The remaining 64 percent of cases either ended with dismissal, deferred prosecution or an amended charge.
Nationwide, 59 percent of drunk driving cases monitored by MADD resulted in convictions.
The nationwide average reflects observations and data collected by MADD court monitors in 15 states from Jan. 1, 2019, to Dec. 31, 2019. The conviction rate was lower than in 2018, when MADD’s court monitors noted an average 61 percent conviction rate.
“This year’s Court Monitoring Report shows why MADD is needed now more than ever,” said Asheba Brown, MADD Louisiana’s program manager. “I am appalled that the dismissal rate is around 12 percent percent.
“MADD will continue to put more monitors in courtrooms to review dismissals and make sure that each defendant is appropriately held accountable for their impaired driving crime. Impaired Driving should be treated like the violent crime that it is.”
Observing courtroom proceedings is a longstanding tradition with MADD.
In December 2018, MADD reached 100,000 cases followed as part of the national Court Monitoring Program that began in 2015. MADD trains staff and volunteers to attend judicial proceedings involving drunk driving cases to ensure laws are being enforced and prosecuted to the fullest extent.
The cases that are monitored do not involve injuries or deaths.
“Many people who have lost a loved one to drunk and drugged driving experience the justice system for the first time, and they are often surprised at how their cases are handled. That’s what drove the creation of MADD 40 years ago and what drives the Court Monitoring Program today,” said MADD National President Helen Witty.
“Volunteers and staff are a presence in the courtrooms that let law enforcement, prosecutors and judges know that we support them and expect them to treat these cases as the serious, violent crimes that they are.”
The Court Monitoring Program is part of MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving, started in 2006, to support law enforcement efforts to protect the public from drunk driving.
Volunteers and staff document every step of the judicial process and enter the disposition, age, gender, outcome and other information about each case.
Court monitoring is active in 15 states across the country, with plans to expand to other states as volunteers and funding become available.
In addition to Louisiana, states with court monitoring are Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia.
The report reveals observations by court monitors who collected data over a one-year period in at least one jurisdiction within their state. The results are from a diverse cross-section of jurisdictions across the country.
Ultimately, MADD hopes to add enough volunteers and staff to monitor courts in every jurisdiction, in every state, to produce comprehensive statewide and nationwide reports.
“While many of our court cases are currently on hold due to COVID-19, MADD will be back in courtrooms as soon as it is safe,” Witty said. “It is critical that law enforcement officers know that we support the incredibly important work they do to bring charges against drunk and drugged drivers.
“Equally important is to follow these cases to the end to improve conviction rates and put an end to this crime, which continues to be the leading killer on our roads.”
About Mothers Against Drunk Driving
Founded in 1980 by a mother whose daughter was killed by a drunk driver, Mothers Against Drunk Driving® (MADD) is the nation’s largest nonprofit working to end drunk driving, help fight drugged driving, support the victims of these violent crimes and prevent underage drinking.