ALCOHOL AND ALCOHOLISM - A POLICE HANDBOOK

• NCJ Number: 49671
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 41 pages
• Corporate Author: International Assoc of Chiefs of Police; Correctional Assoc of New York
• Sale Source: Correctional Assoc of New York
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ON THE BODY, THE NATURE OF INTOXICATION AND ALCOHOLISM, AND THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN DRUNKENNESS AND POLICE WORK ARE EXPLAINED IN THIS HANDBOOK FOR POLICE OFFICERS.

Abstract

THE EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL AND THE FACTORS AFFECTING INTOXICATION ARE DESCRIBED; A TABLE SHOWING THE SYMPTOMS NORMALLY ASSOCIATED WITH DRINKING AND ITS RESULTANT BLOOD-ALCOHOL CONCENTRATIONS IN A DRINKER IS PRESENTED. PHYSICAL EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION CAN BE OBESITY, MALNUTRITION, LIVER DEGENERATION, DAMAGE TO THE NERVOUS SYSTEM, AND ALCOHOL ADDICTION. THE NATURE OF ALCOHOLISM IS CONSIDERED. THE SYMPTOMS LEADING TO ALCOHOLISM ARE DESCRIBED BY STAGES AND INCLUDE HEAVY DRINKING, LOSS OF CONTROL, ATTEMPTS AT ABSTINENCE, ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR, ACUTE HANGOVERS AND MORNING DRINKING, POOR HEALTH, AND PROLONGED BOUTS OF DRINKING IN THE FULLY DEVELOPED STAGE. CLUES TOWARD DETECTING ALCOHOLISM IN EMPLOYEES ARE PRESENTED. TREATMENT FOR ALCOHOLISM MUST BEGIN WITH THE INDIVIDUALS RECOGNITION OF THE PROBLEM. MEDICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL TREATMENT CAN THEN BE APPLIED, AND ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS AND LOCAL COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS DEALING WITH ALCOHOLICS CAN BE OF ASSISTANCE. SYMPTOMS ARE ENUMERATED WHICH CAN HELP THE POLICE IN DETERMINING IF A PERSON IS INTOXICATED, AND SUGGESTIONS FOR HANDLING INTOXICATED PERSONS OR ALCOHOLICS ARE PROVIDED. THE SUPPLEMENT DISCUSSES THE LEGAL STATUS OF INTOXICATION AND ALCOHOLISM. TWENTY-THREE STATES HAVE PASSED THE UNIFORM ALCOHOLISM AND INTOXIFICATION TREATMENT ACT, OR SIMILAR LEGISLATION, WHICH DETAILS PROPER PROCEDURES FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS IN DEALING WITH INTOXICATED AND ALCOHOLIC PERSONS. POLICE OFFICERS SHOULD BE FULLY AWARE OF THE POTENTIAL EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL IN THE BODY AND BE ABLE TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT A PERSON IS INTOXICATED AND DANGEROUS. THE OFFICER SHOULD ENSURE THAT SUCH PERSONS, IN CASE OF ARREST, ARE WATCHED AT FREQUENT INTERVALS, AND BE ABLE TO ACT CORRECTLY IN CASE SUCH A PERSON BECOMES UNCONSCIOUS. (DAG)