Worksheet4: Evaluating existing public policies

Date: September 22, 1999 Group Members: John Smith, Jane Doe, and Joe Shmoe

Your problem (phrase):

The problem that needs to be addressed is the large number of teenagers in this country who drive drunk.


State one of the major existing policies that attempts to deal with the social problem:

The use of sobriety checkpoints as an effective enforcement tool to combat impaired driving.


What are the advantages of this policy (consider effectiveness, costs, enforcement, public acceptance):


Among the advantages of sobriety checkpoints in helping to solve the problem of teen drunk driving are;


"When implemented in conjunction with departmental policy and any constraints imposed by state or local courts, sobriety checkpoints provide an effective enforcement tool to combat the impaired driving problem."

,Sobriety Checkpoints Information More

What are the disadvantages of this policy (consider the effectiveness, costs, enforcement, public acceptance):


There might be some constitutional problems. For example, the ACLU and others have argued that it is unconstitutional for police to stop drivers without probable cause.

"DWI/DUI Sobriety Roadblocks or Checkpoints"

Based on your evaluation of the advantages and disadvantages, should the current policy be totally replaced, strengthened, or improved? What advantages, if any, from the current policy should be retained? What disadvantages, if any, should be eliminated?:


Sobriety checkpoints can be part of an effective overall strategy in helping reduce the problem of teen drunk driving. However, you can realistically only have one or two sobriety checkpoints per night. This means that police are tied up conducting these checks instead of completing their other law enforcement duties. Also, people may become disenchanted with too frequent checkpoints which will cause traffic problems and longer drives to and from work. "The use of checkpoints alone will not maintain the perception of risk essential to an effective general deterrence program."


Back