310_Ind2_S1

Name: Nathalie Lopez

Instructions: Now that your group has decided on an issue, you must demonstrate that there is a problem. You will turn in this research sheet completed with two articles attached that you showed that there is a problem

I. There is a problem in society today. That problem is: The government has enforced DUI penalties but they are not as strict as they should be. I believe the government should enforce the DUI penalties beyond what they are now because the problem is rising and more and more people are dieing because of the drunk drivers behind the wheel. Innocent lives shouldn't be taken by irresponsible, mindless people. The laws aren't strict enough because you see people getting pulled over for their third or fourth DUI. I would hope that after their first incident, they would have learned their lesson. But when it comes down to their third or fourth arrest, they obviously haven't been punished enough or else they wouldn't be getting arrested again.

II. Facts that demonstrate that there is a problem are: (Two articles and bibliography must be attached)

In Centre County, twelve people were recently arrested for their third DUI. In the last year, 868 cases of DUI had been recorded, a record high. And not just the number of arrests were rising but also their blood alcohol level was rising. The limit is below a .08 and 50 percent of the people caught driving drunk had a blood alcohol level of a .16 or above. In Centre County, they have a program for people who have been charged with three DUIs which consists of jail time, time on house arrest, required to attend AA meetins, look for a job, recieve counseling, and meet with their probation officers and meet with the judge. Unfortunately, they have to be charged with three DUIs before being admitted into the program. Many feel that people being charged after the first offense should be admitted but however can not.

Drivers with a BAC level above .15% are considered hard-core drunken drivers and shouldn't be allowed to be on the road. Last year, 10,839 people died in drunken-driving crashes, 32% of all road deaths. More than 70% of crashes involved hard-core drunken drivers, and obviously they aren't getting the message of the law. The article explains that the efforts of MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) aren't targeting the hard-core drunken drivers. Instead, they are targeting moderate social drinking.

Ganim, Sara. "CENTRE COUNTY'S DUI COURT TACKLES PROBLEM." //Pittsburg Post// 6 Feb. 2011: n. pag. //ProQuest 5000//. Web. 15 Feb. 2011. This article is about Centre County trying a new tactic to knock down the number of DUIs by stricter penalties in court. Copeland, Larry. "Drunken Drivers Push Limits." //USA TODAY//. 08 Dec 2010: A.3. //SIRS Researcher.// Web. 16 Feb 2011. This article is about a woman's husband who passed away due to a drunk driver and the killer getting away with a $5,000 fine. After the incident, they started becoming more strict.