Researcher: Lee Ann Bell

Sponsor: Texas Department of Transportation

This research effort is aimed at examining the differences and similarities of judicial monitoring and probation officer monitoring of DWI offenders who are ordered to install an ignition interlock device on a vehicle, in both rural and urban areas. The findings from surveying judges and probation officers and gathering courthouse records indicate that urban counties have specific advantages with regard to monitoring offenders because of the division of departments, which provides several outlets to monitor offenders. Currently, surveys and courthouse records are being examined to determine if the location of ignition interlock service centers has an impact on whether a judge orders a defendant to install an ignition interlock device.