U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

WHY HAVE A PRE-ARREST BREATH TESTING

NCJ Number
27194
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 23 Issue: 7 Dated: (JULY 1975) Pages: 28,30
Author(s)
J D KRETSCHMER
Date Published
1975
Length
2 pages
Annotation
THE AUTHOR SUGGESTS THAT TRAFFIC OFFICERS BE PROVIDED WITH PORTABLE BREATH ANALYZERS TO SUPPLEMENT THEIR PRE-TESTING OF MARGINAL DWI (DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED) SUSPECTS.
Abstract
HE ARGUES THAT INDIVIDUALS WITH BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVELS WITHIN THE .10 PERCENT TO .15 PERCENT RANGE CAUSE JUST AS MANY ACCIDENTS AS HEAVY DRINKERS, ALTHOUGH THEY ARE FREQUENTLY NOT ARRESTED OR PROSECUTED. HE CONTENDS THAT THE USE OF A PORTABLE BREATH SCREENING TEST WOULD EXPEDITE PRE-ARREST PROCESSING, DEFINE BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVELS MORE ACCURATELY THAN PERSONAL OBSERVATION OR A FIELD SOBRIETY TEST, AND WOULD ELIMINATE THE RELEASE OF DWI SUSPECTS WHO SHOULD BE ARRESTS.