Serving people affected by violence and trauma.

Did you know:

In 2008, 34% of all traffic deaths in Massachusetts
occurred because someone was driving under the
influence of alcohol or drugs.
~ based on research from the National Center for Statistics and Analysis

Drunk Driving

Are you a victim, witness, or family member affected by a DUI incident? If so, we would like to hear from you! The Massachusetts Office of Victim Assistance, in collaboration with the Community Crisis Response Team (CCRT), is compiling information about what services and programs have helped and what you would want to see provided in this area. This is a public health crisis. Last year in our service area over 140 DUI arrests were made. How many more drivers under the influence are endangering our lives? As a paralyzed victim recently stated: "9/11 is happening every day out on our highways and roads, something has to be done!"

Please participate in our survey and share your ideas by calling 413.773.5090.

Drunk Driving Trust Fund History and Legislation

The Victims of Drunk Driving Trust Fund (DDTF) was enacted on March 8, 2002. According to the enabling statute, anyone who is convicted, placed on probation, granted a continuance without a finding, pleads guilty to, or admits to a finding of sufficient facts for operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor, marijuana, narcotic drugs, deprressants or stimulant substances is subject to an assessment of $50. The courts collect this assessment, which is not subject to waiver for any reason. The state treasurer is the custodian of the fund and the Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance (MOVA) is charged with awarding and administering grants from this fund.

As stated in the enabling statute, grants are awarded "to community-based programs in the commonwealth to provide counseling and support services to victims of accidents caused by persons driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol."

Since there are more than 18,000 OUI offenders convicted by the Massachusetts courts each year, the creation of a Victims of Drunk Driving Trust Fund will generate an estimated $1 million in revenue annually. This mandate holds all those who choose to drink and drive accountable to those victimized by that decision.

"Our system did not seek restitution from convicted OUI offenders to pay for victim services, but now it will. The imposition of these payments serves as a reminder to offenders that drunk driving is not a victimless crime," said Matt Shedd, Chairman of MADD Massachusetts. "Every person who drives drunk poses an immediate risk to others on the road. While not every offense directly involves a victim, there are more than 200 drunk driving offenses that tragically result in death each year and thousands more that result in serious injury in our state. We feel it is important to support the innocent victims, whose lives have been forever changed due to someone else's senseless decision to drink and drive."

In the fall of 2002, in accordance with the requirement of the Drunk Driving Trust Fund enabling statute, MOVA met with representatives of the Massachusetts Chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the Department of Public Health's Bureau of Subastance Abuse to establish criteria for the distribution of these funds to service providers. In the fall of 2003, MOVA awarded several 9-month awards in the first year of DDTF subgrant distribution.

Sources for this article are:
www.mass.gov/mova/page186.html and www.madd.org/news/0,1056,3918,00.html

Statewide Programs funded by the Drunk Driving Trust Fund

Community Crisis Response Team
A program of Community Action of the Franklin, Hampshire, and North Quabbin Regions, through their Mediation & Training Collaborative.
277 Main Street, Suite 401
Greenfield, MA 01301
Contact: Diana Bella at 413.773.5090

www.communitycrisis.info

The Community Crisis Response Team provides a timely, coordinated, and situation specific response to any communities, groups, or individuals in Franklin and Hampshire Counties and the North Quabbin region who have been affected by crime and trauma. We also provide specialized, comprehensive services to survivors, surviving family members, witnesses, and other secondary victims of OUI incidents. Victimization may be present, or it may have been in the past and not been fully resolved. Trained Community Crisis Response Team members help validate the challenging stress reactions that often accompany OUI incidents; serve as immediate emergency counselors for victims, help link victims to appropriate community resources including court advocacy through MADD, compensation through the District Attorney's Office, and ongoing mental health support through private therapists or mental health agencies; and provide support and facilitation to link victims to one another for mutual peer support and for the restorative process of community-building. Our goal is to foster the healing and resiliency of victims and their communities and to promote support for victims.