Drinking Alone? The Effect of an Alcohol Treatment Program on Relationship Stability for Convicted Drunk Drivers in Denmark. Issue 1 (May 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Andersen, Signe Hald
• Editors: Wildeman, Christopher; Wakefield, Sara; Lee, Hedwig
• Is Part Of: Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science. Volume 665:Issue 1(2016:May)
• Page Start: 46
• Page End: 62
• Publication Date: 2016-05
• Subjects: drunk driving -- IV models -- relationship stability; Social sciences -- Periodicals; Social sciences -- United States -- Periodicals; Political science -- Periodicals; United States -- Politics and government -- Periodicals; 300
• DOI: 10.1177/0002716216632456
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0002-7162

Abstract

This article tests whether an alcohol treatment program for drunk drivers in Denmark increased the stability of their relationships with spouses or cohabiting partners. The treatment program, implemented in 1990, allowed a group of offenders to avoid prison and participate in a rehabilitation program. I use it here as a natural experiment, exploiting a rich administrative dataset to show that the program marginally increases offenders' relationship stability. I also test whether increased relationship stability observed among the treated offenders results from their pardon from prison or from their participation in the rehabilitation program. Results suggest that the rehabilitation program drives the effect. These findings contribute to the literature on what alternative sanctions could be offered to offenders to improve their long-term social outcomes.