Fun Facts: DUI - All of Illinois vs Los Angeles County

Sometimes with DUI, it's interesting to take a step back and look at the big picture. Yes, sometimes it looks like a bunch of meaningless numbers collected by government agencies, but what the heck?

Los Angeles County California, if nothing else, is a cultural and socioeconomic microcosm . . . ok, it's a freakshow fun to follow, and they have great weather, and I'm envious because in Chicago where I live and practice DUI law, if you don't like the weather, wait five minutes. And they have Smokin', which, if you've never been . . . I feel sorry for you. Mmmm. . .

But I digress. Here's the point, check out these stats and let me know what you think!

Los Angeles County California population as of 2007: 9,807,870

LA County DUI arrests in 2007: 42,736

Illinois population as of 2008: 12,901,563

Illinois DUI arrests in 2008: 48,113

What's so interesting about that other than that LA County has a lot of freaking bodies packed into a very tight space? Why the percentages, of course!

According to this, there are 4.36 arrests for every 100 actors-working-as-waiters living in LA county! Contrast this with the 3.73 arrests per 100 actually-living voters, alderman and precinct bosses living in Illinois (not just Chicago), and maybe Illinois hasn't earned quite the level of hysteria regarding DUI that our more glamorous western friends experience on an hourly basis. Maybe.