The Screening Program, under contract with the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court (New Mexico), provided screening services for first DWI offenders who completed several assessments to determine their use of substances and consequences. Assessments included the Alcohol Use Inventory17; the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test18; the MacAndrews and validity scales of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-219,20; and the Drug Abuse Screening Test.21 Questions also included offenders’ use of cannabis, cocaine, or amphetamines, and consequences. After offenders completed the assessments, they met with a master’s degree level counselor, who reviewed the blood alcohol concentration at arrest and assessment results, discussed the circumstances of the DWI arrest with the offender, and reviewed diagnostic criteria for substance use disorders, as specified by the DSM-III-R,22 the current diagnostic criteria at that time. Using all this information counselors made a treatment recommendation. Those evaluated as needing treatment were referred to treatment programs available in the community. If referred to treatment, the treatment center was contacted to verify completion of the court-mandated treatment course. Details of the screening process have been published.23,24
