Evaluation of 24/7 Sobriety Program Implementation, North Dakota, 2001-2015

The 24/7 Sobriety Program was created in South Dakota in 2005 to reduce repeat driving under the influence (DUI) offenses and jail populations, with the idea being to compel DUI defendants to abstain from alcohol and/or drug use for a period of time (Jackley and Long, 2017). The evidence-based program works as a continuous monitoring program where DUI defendants submit to scheduled and/or random testing for controlled substances. If a participant does not appear for testing or tests positive, they are subject to swift, certain, proportional, and consistent sanctions (e.g., immediate short-term incarceration). Compliant participants receive immediate positive feedback. As of March 2017, 24/7 Sobriety programs were authorized in 9 states: South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, Washington, Idaho, Wyoming, Wisconsin, Utah, and Alaska.

In this study, the research team examined the implementation of the 24/7 Sobriety program in South Dakota, Montana, North Dakota, Jacksonville (Duval County), Florida, and Yavapai County, Arizona. The researchers sought to answer questions about the program's mechanics and effectiveness across several states, and to illuminate what aspects of program delivery are central to achieving outcomes that are relevant to criminal justice researchers and practitioners, such as recidivism, public safety, and alternatives to incarceration. This multi-site, mixed-methods evaluation consisted of secondary analysis of administrative program data and arrest records from North Dakota, case studies of pilot programs in Jacksonville and Yavapai County involving stakeholder interviews and on-site observations, and secondary analysis of breathalyzer test results from South Dakota, North Dakota, and Montana.

The North Dakota 24/7 Sobriety implementation and outcomes data are a county-by-month panel of driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI) arrest events compiled from state Department of Transportation reports and a set of variables based on restricted 24/7 Sobriety program data describing program implementation by county in North Dakota from 2008 to 2015, with pre-program arrest data dating back to 2001.