PORTLAND, Maine — Figures show a 25 percent drop in drunken driving arrests in Maine during the past decade, but it’s not clear what the numbers mean.
A Portland Press Herald analysis of data from the Maine Administrative Office of the Courts shows that the number of drunken-driving charges brought by Maine police dropped from 8,029 in 2001 to 6,026 in 2011.
Some police and experts say fewer people are taking the chance of driving under the influence because of the harsh penalties that can result. Others say the decline reflects cutbacks in law enforcement and increasing demands on officers, who have less time to patrol for drunken drivers and make arrests.
Portland police Sgt. Scot Mattox says that while police staffing’s been reduced, there’s “a cultural shift” away from drinking and driving.
Go figuere, in todays economy you either put the alcohol in the car or in your “Tank” !
You can’t afford to do both!
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I drove through Downtown Bangor tonight and saw plenty of people who were heading for their cars that were drunk..
How did you know they where drunk??
Ya, his foot should be moved to his mouth!
Less arrests more deaths