Drink drivers and the court process in Hobart: a summary for 1000 offenders

Abstract

The paper examines the personal characteristics, previous drink driving records, entry to the courts and court decisions for 1000 offenders convicted in the Hobart Courts of Petty Sessions for alcohol-related driving offences. It is shown that southern Tasmania has a very high rate of recidivism, that a large proportion chose legal representation and that the sentences of individual magistrates vary substantially even when a large number of factors are held constant. It is suggested that solicitors use adjournments to steer clients towards particular magistrates and some options for review of the current system are outlined.