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FACT BRIEF

Does Wisconsin have an above-average rate of repeat drunk drivers?

By Jacob Alabab-Moser
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YES

The rate of recidivism among drivers convicted for operating while intoxicated in Wisconsin surpasses the national estimate.

The national estimate for the rate of recidivism in operating while intoxicated convictions is 29.5%. That is based on a median calculated by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration using 2007-11 data from 22 states, not including Wisconsin. WisContext estimated Wisconsin's recidivism rate for the same range of years. The average of those estimates is 37.4%  

WisContext found that between 2004 and 2017, the rate of recidivism fell in 61 of Wisconsin's 72 counties. 

The number of OWI convictions and arrests in Wisconsin also has been declining since the late 2000s. And the number of crashes, injuries and fatalities has decreased sharply since the late 1970s, WisContext found.

Wisconsin is the only state in which a first-time OWI offense is considered a civil offense, not a criminal one.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
National Highway Transportation Safety Administration DWI recidivism in the United States
Urban Milwaukee High tolerance: State has 22,000 OWI convictions per year
Google Docs 2007–2011 Wisconsin rate of recidivism in operating while intoxicated convictions
Wisconsin Public Radio Advocates, lawmakers renew push for stricter drunken driving laws In Wisconsin
Infogram Proportion of OWI Convictions for Repeat Offenses
Infogram Wisconsin Alcohol-Related Injuries and Fatalities from Motor Vehicle Crashes
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Wisconsin Watch
Wisconsin Watch, the news arm of the nonpartisan, nonprofit Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, increases the quality and quantity of investigative reporting in Wisconsin, while training current and future investigative journalists. Its work fosters an informed citizenry and strengthens democracy.
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Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.