NCJ Number
227517
Journal
Forensic Magazine Volume: 6 Issue: 3 Dated: June-July 2009 Pages: 23-25
Date Published
July 2009
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This article identifies and discusses factors involved in calculations of an individual's blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and associated uncertainties that accompany such a calculation; a software is described that can quickly and accurately account for the degree of uncertainty in expert testimony regarding BAC calculations.
Abstract
Alcohol metabolism consists of three key processes - absorption, distribution, and elimination - which occur simultaneously and influence how much alcohol is able to accumulate in the blood stream. This is ultimately responsible for causing intoxication of an individual. Alcohol absorption is the first process to occur, and it continues until all of the ingested alcohol has entered the blood stream. As soon as the alcohol has been absorbed, it immediately begins its distribution into the body tissues and fluids, undergoing elimination by the oxidation systems in the liver. The details and rates of these processes are discussed in this article. Although the rate of alcohol elimination has been determined to fall between two ranges, the rate is not static throughout a drinking scenario because of the number of factors affecting the efficiency of the oxidation system that eliminates the alcohol. Because of the complexity of alcohol metabolism and the requirement that forensic toxicologists account for any and all uncertainties inherent in this dynamic process, the calculations can become time consuming and complex when done manually. New technology (BAC Tracker), however, reduces the rime required and allows experts to consistently provide unbiased estimations of BAC that account for the degree of uncertainty by using all relevant scientific information. The software is designed to be used by both experts and laypersons. 1 figure and 4 references