Forensic Alcohol Interpretation
Class Code:
T108
Subject Area:
T - Toxicology Program
Class Location:
Various
Class Description:
This four-day class (32 hours) presents scientific principles useful for understanding effects that alcohol can have on a person's ability to operate a motor vehicle safely. Topics to be addressed include:
a) Overview of value and purpose of forensic alcohol analysis;
b) Pharmacology, toxicology, and physiology of alcohol;
c) Widmark hypothesis;
d) Impairment;
e) Field sobriety tests;
f) Legal aspects of alcohol analysis;
g) Common courtroom challenges;
h) A practical drinking correlation experiment;
i) Hypothetical questions regarding drinking scenarios. POST Plan IV Certified
Instructor:
Various
Teaching Methods:
Lectures, discussions, demonstrations, drinking/correlation experiments.
Objectives:
Students will understand better how impairment relates to blood alcohol concentration; absorption, distribution and elimination of alcohol in humans; the design and execution of drinking/correlation experiments; how California regulations address alcohol and impaired drivers.
Prerequisites:
Competence with forensic analysis of alcohol in blood, breath and urine. Familiarity with chemical properties of alcohol, general physiology, and legal statutes regulating driving with alcohol.
Preparation:
Pre-class reading material may be assigned.
Materials Fee:
$0
Tuition:
No cost to California public laboratory personnel. A $480.00 tuition fee will be required for all other public agencies, private sector, or out of state applications. Checks may be made payable to CA State Department of Justice.
Course Contact:
Neda Khoshkebari (916) 464-5599, (916)464-0600
More Information: