Foreword
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that there were 13,470 traffic fatalities in 2006 caused by drivers under the influence (DUI) of alcohol. Across the country, States have enacted strict laws in an attempt to control the problem, including lowering the maximum blood alcohol level for vehicle operation to .08 percent and mandating harsher penalties for repeat offenders. Last term,the U.S. Supreme Court heard a case that asked them to determine the nature ofDUI offenses: Are they violent acts? Should they qualify for increasedpunishment compared with other criminal violations? The casebegan in New Mexico, which has some…
