Determinants of public punitiveness toward drunk driving: A factorial survey approach

Although drunk driving has emerged as a salient social problem, criminologists have devoted little attention to the determinants of public punitiveness toward driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI). Using data drawn from a factorial design survey of community residents, we find that harm, causing a fatal injury, and one measure of culpability, namely a drunk driver's prior record of arrests, significantly increase punitiveness ratings. Other indicators of offenders' culpability, however, do not affect the sanctions imposed by respondents.