Alcohol, Drugs, and Impaired Driving addresses many theoretical and practical issues related to the role played by alcohol and other psychoactive drugs on driving performance, road-traffic safety, and public health. Several key forensic issues are involved in the enforcement of laws regulating driving under the influence of alcohol and/or other drugs, including analytical toxicology, pharmacology of drug action, as well as the relationships between dose taken, concentration levels in the body, and impairment of performance and behavior. Our knowledge of drunken driving is much more comprehensive than drugged driving, so a large part of this book is devoted to alcohol impairment, as well as impairment caused by use of drugs other than alcohol. For convenience, the book is divided into four main sections. The first section gives some historical background about measuring alcohol in blood and breath as evidence for the prosecution of traffic offenders. The important role of the Breathalyzer instrument in traffic-law enforcement, especially in Australia, Canada, and the USA is presented along with a biographical sketch of its inventor (Professor Robert F. Borkenstein of Indiana University) with focus on the man, his work and his impact. The second section discusses several issues related to forensic blood and breath-alcohol alcohol analysis as evidence for prosecution of traffic offenders. This includes how the results should be interpreted in relation to impairment and an evaluation of common defense challenges. Because most countries have adopted concentration per se laws, the main thrust of the prosecution case is the suspect’s measured blood- or breath-alcohol concentration. This legal framework necessitates that the analytical methods used are "fit for purpose" and are subjected to rigorous quality assurance procedures. The third section gives a broad overview of the current state of knowledge about driving under the influence of non-alcohol drugs in various countries. This includes adoption of zero-tolerance laws, concentration per se statutes, and clinical evidence of driver impairment based on field sobriety tests and drug recognition expert evidence. The fourth section deals with epidemiology, enforcement, and countermeasures aimed at reducing the threat of drunken and drugged driving. All articles have appeared previously in the international journal Forensic Science Review, but all are completely updated with current data, references, and the latest research on developments since the articles were published. This book contains a convenient collection of the best articles covering recommendations for blood and breath testing methods, public policy relating to such methods, and forensic and legal implications of the enforcement of measures to counter driving under the influence.

"This compendium was developed as a result of a collaborative effort between the National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund (NDLERF) and the National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction (NCETA). It consists of a collection of alcohol and other drug-related law enforcement literature published in the years 2004 to early 2008. In addition, where particularly important resources were published which were outside of this timeframe, these have also been included. The compendium is intended to serve as an information resource for police and other law enforcement offi cers working in a variety of settings, student law enforcement offi cers, policy makers, researchers and others with an interest in this area. Indeed the resource will be valuable to all those who require information about contemporary alcohol and other drug-related issues impacting upon the law enforcement sector and current responses to these issues. The overall aim of the publication is to enhance the access that law enforcement staff have to research concerning the identifi cation of, and responses to, alcohol and other drug-related problems. It is envisaged that the use of the compendium will encourage evidence-based practice in this area."--Introduction.

"This book fills a void in the literature by examining from a scientific perspective the official police response to drugs, drug use, abuse, and dealing and how the different levels of police agencies process drug cases. This book will appeal to a number of criminal justice, criminology, and sociology program courses on drug abuse. Professionals interested in learning more about the criminal justice response to the drug problem, as well as police academies may also find the book useful."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Everyday problems associated with the consequences of alcohol use disorders require answers, and it is for this reason Forensic Alcohol Test Evidence (FATE) was written. Forensic alcohol test evidence focuses on the evaluation, interpretation and application of the effects of alcohol or an alcohol test result to some legal issue such as a crime, accident or consequence of alcohol exposure. In FATE, many of the issues pertinent to a thorough forensic evaluation and trial testimony are discussed, but most importantly is the focus on consistent, unbiased, and comprehensive application of diverse scientific disciplines and research to questions of forensic interest. This requires evaluating behavioral, analytical, physiological, pharmacological and toxicological evidence in the puzzle; determining if the pieces go together; and reaching a conclusion to a reasonable degree of scientific certainty. The first chapter discusses what is forensic alcohol test evidence and why it is studied. Chapter 2 explores forensic alcohol evidence and what are the types of alcohol and quantitative expression of blood alcohol. Chapter 3 examines alcohol pharmacokinetics, alcohol pharmacodynamics site of alcohol action, and basic neurophysiology. Neuropharmacology of alcohol intoxication is also discussed. Chapter 4 covers laboratory and clinical-based tests of impairment. In Chapter 5, DWI high-risk behaviors and injuries are discussed. Chapter 6 defines alcohol and the law: drunk driving, visible intoxication, and aggression, while Chapter 7 covers the DWI investigation and arrest, elements of the DWI report, outside vehicle test, and obtaining blood samples. Chapters 8 and 9 describe alcohol-drug interactions and medical consequences and toxicological considerations. Chapters 10 and 11 pursue alcohol use, tolerance, dependence, and the need for standardization and estimating blood alcohol levels. The remaining two chapters cover accident reconstruction and neuropsychology. This book will be an essential tool and valuable resource for all law enforcement officers and investigators, forensic examiners and other professionals in the evaluation and interpretation of alcohol evidence in crimes and accidents.