Mercer County had a record number of drunken driving convictions last year.

According to a report released by the Pennsylvania DUI Association, the county had 597 convictions in 2002, up from 514 in 2001.

Local police departments saw an increase in drunken driving arrests last year. In all, more than 800 arrests were made across the county. The state police, who cover the largest area, lead the way with almost 300 arrests.

Of the municipal departments, Sharon had the highest number with more than 100.

Second came Hermitage with 70, followed by Greenville-West Salem Township with 46; Grove City with 29; Pymatuning Township and Sharpsville with 27 each; Hempfield Township, 23; South Pymatuning Township with 20; Southwest Mercer County Regional with 16; and Shenango Township, eight.

Mercer County District Attorney James P. Epstein said the difference between the number of arrests and convictions could be due to several factors.

"If the person was arrested late in the year, such as around the holiday season, they might not be convicted of the charge until the next year," he said.

Every once in a great while, he said, drunken driving charges are dropped, which could also account for a small amount of the difference.

The DUI Association gathers the statistics from presentencing investigation documents. It sends a compiled report to each county in Pennsylvania every month.

Apart from the place a person was arrested, the report also lists demographic data. In Mercer County, the most frequently arrested drunken drivers are single white men, aged 36, who make between $20,000 and $25,000 a year.