Promising Criminal Justice Programs for DWI Offenders: Massachusetts Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor

The Massachusetts District Attorneys Association (MDAA) promotes public safety, the fair and effective administration of justice, the education of prosecutors and the safeguarding of victims’ rights. In order to reduce fatalities, injuries and economic losses resulting from motor vehicle crashes throughout the state, the MDAA received a grant from the state in 2002 to provide prosecutors with training and resources in the area of vehicular crimes, particularly operating under the influence (OUI) offenses. Due to the initial success of the Vehicular Crimes Program, further grant funding allowed for a full-time staff attorney position - the Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor (TSRP).

The TSRP is a dedicated vehicular crimes staff attorney whose purpose is to improve the coordination of the prosecution of traffic safety cases, especially OUI cases, between law enforcement officers, prosecutors, the judiciary and other related agencies. These efforts have resulted in the publication of the Massachusetts Prosecutor’s OUI Manual, OUI trial advocacy training for new prosecutors and a crash reconstruction seminar to educate prosecutors.

Through the TSRP, prosecutors in the state of Massachusetts are provided continuous and progressive training on how to effectively prosecute vehicular crimes cases, especially OUI cases.  This allows for attorneys to have specialized training they can use when prosecuting more serious cases. The law enforcement community is also trained regularly on courtroom testimony and kept more up to date with current reference materials in order to more effectively adjudicate these offenses.

With our Judicial Education Advisory Committee, The Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility has developed a compilation of promising programs across the nation for dealing with DWI offenders in the criminal justice community. It is our hope that by sharing these programs with stakeholders in the criminal justice field that new, innovative programs can be developed in every state to deal more comprehensively with DWI offenders.

Please contact Jaime S. Alvis, Director of Government Relations & Traffic Safety at The Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility, if you know of any other promising programs that should be included in this compilation.