Main Models of Medical and Psychological Work for Prevention of Repeated Drunk Driving (International Experience)

Abstract

The article analyses foreign scientific data and looks into the medical and psychological aspect of modern system of prevention of recurring crimes arising from drunk driving. Eco-nomically developed countries are shown to have obligatory medical and psychological in-terventions as part of their process of re-authorization to drive, and the scale and duration of such interventions depend on the legal framework of a particular state. Generalization of the material studied by the authors of the article led to formulation of a few organizational work models for medical practitioners and psychologists to help them prevent recurring drunk driving. The first model suggests that preventive measures are only aimed to raise of-fending drivers’ awareness of alcohol and drug addiction. The second model demands that the authorities assess the mental health and psychological preparedness for safe driving in offending drivers. The compulsory therapeutic and rehabilitation measures for persons ad-dicted to psychoactive substances in these countries are not included in drunk driving pre-vention system. The third model involves extended and long-term therapeutic and rehabili-tation programs for persons who indulged in drunk driving. Such programs include reveal-ing one’s unconscious motivations along with subsequent transformation of one’s former convictions and customary behavioral patterns. The authors believe that the "extended out-come" of these programs can be seen as an advantage of this model, since overcoming one’s addiction has a positive impact on all social aspects of one’s life activity. The authors point out the social and economical effectiveness of the models under discussion and sub-stantiate their applicability in the domestic system of recurrent drunk driving prevention.