By West S.C.R. No. 2 75R897 SGW-D CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-1 WHEREAS, Drunken driving is an epidemic problem that 1-2 needlessly destroys the lives and futures of thousands of Texans 1-3 each year, often causing death, injury, and property destruction; 1-4 tragically, during 1995 alone, there were 1,138 driving while 1-5 intoxicated (DWI) fatalities and 31,720 DWI-related injuries in the 1-6 State of Texas; and 1-7 WHEREAS, Approximately 10 percent of the total DWI accidents 1-8 in Texas are caused by drivers who are under 21 years of age; and 1-9 WHEREAS, In 1995, as a result of driving under the influence 1-10 of alcohol or drugs, 5,983 drivers under the age of 21 were 1-11 arrested and 74 died behind the wheel; and 1-12 WHEREAS, A study conducted by the Texas Commission on Alcohol 1-13 and Drug Abuse on DWI recidivism revealed that DWI offenders who 1-14 receive probation and complete alcohol prevention/education classes 1-15 are less likely to recidivate than those who are directly 1-16 incarcerated; and 1-17 WHEREAS, The same study showed that those offenders who do 1-18 not complete the DWI education class are more than twice as likely 1-19 to recidivate than those who complete the class; and 1-20 WHEREAS, In view of the tremendous gravity of the problem of 1-21 drunken driving by juveniles, and the demonstrated success of the 1-22 completion of alcohol prevention/education classes in reducing 1-23 recidivism, it is incumbent on the state to encourage the use of 2-1 this effective deterrent; now, therefore, be it 2-2 RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas 2-3 hereby encourage the justice of the peace and municipal courts of 2-4 this state to use alcohol prevention/education-related activities 2-5 when sentencing juvenile DWI offenders to community service 2-6 projects and to establish agreements with local juvenile probation 2-7 departments to monitor completion of assigned community service; 2-8 and, be it further 2-9 RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward official copies 2-10 of this resolution to each justice of the peace and municipal court 2-11 in Texas.