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: 

Schedule of Classes: