FORENSIC ALCOHOL

The Forensic Alcohol Section of the Crime Laboratory is responsible for analyzing fluid samples to determine the concentration of alcohol by means of gas chromatography. The majority of the samples are blood samples related to Driving Under the Influence (DUI) suspicion (Section 23152 (a) and (b) of the California Vehicle Code) but criminalists in the section also receive samples related to other criminal offenses. Some of the other types of samples we receive are "prunos" or jail produced alcoholic beverage, sealed alcoholic beverage containers related to sale of alcohol to minors, and opened containers that may be related to violations of Alcoholic Beverage Commission (ABC) regulations, among others.

The alcohol section is also in charge of managing the evidentiary breath testing program in the County of San Diego with the maintenance, operator training, repairs, and technical support of the Intoximeters® Intox EC/IR instruments that are deployed throughout the county. The section also reviews about 8,000 breath tests a year for compliance with State regulations and laboratory policies.

One of the section's main responsibilities is to provide expert witness testimony on the analysis of alcohol and the effects of alcohol in the human body as it relates to driving. The alcohol section averages about 3 or 4 DUI cases per week.

The section also serves as a hub for the shipment of samples that require toxicology analysis since the laboratory does not perform this type of analysis in house.