Tag
This 2013 evidence-based review evaluates scientific research cited when defendants claim alcohol-induced blackout as a criminal defense or mitigating factor. The authors report that studies do not provide an objective way to verify a blackout and argue that memory loss alone does not establish impairment of planning, attention, or other functions relevant to criminal intent.
This archival study examined how intoxicated witnesses and suspects appeared in criminal case processing, using records referred to a district attorney’s office. The authors found intoxicated witnesses were about as likely as sober witnesses to describe a culprit and take an identification test, while noting that police records cannot establish how intoxication affected testimony accuracy.
This 2011 article considers how alcohol-induced blackouts affect later attempts to remember and describe events. Reviewing evidence on memory reconstruction, the authors discuss how cues, questioning, and post-event information may shape recollections, making reports about blackout periods vulnerable to distortion and suggestion.
This 2006 review examines competing claims about substances described as “date rape drugs,” including sedatives such as GHB and flunitrazepam and claims involving MDMA or methamphetamine. It evaluates how drug effects, consent, and apparent cooperation have been interpreted in sexual-assault cases, while discussing the limits of the evidence and expert testimony involved.
This 2020 study followed university students over two years to examine emotional memory in binge drinking, with attention to gender differences. The authors reported that female binge drinkers showed a bias toward negative information and weaker recall of positive and neutral material, while the study found no alcohol-related effects in males.
This American Prosecutors Research Institute primer explains alcohol toxicology concepts used in impaired-driving cases, including absorption, distribution, elimination, alcohol concentration estimates, and retrograde extrapolation. It also discusses limits of estimates, post-incident drinking, multiple test results, and common defenses for legal professionals interpreting toxicology evidence.
This 2007 American Prosecutors Research Institute guide addresses how prosecutors can evaluate and present alcohol-facilitated sexual assault cases. It outlines charging decisions, victim credibility and corroborating evidence, trial presentation, and practical materials such as sample voir dire and expert-testimony questions.
This 2017 systematic review examines whether alcohol produces acute tolerance, known as the Mellanby effect, by comparing responses at the same blood alcohol concentration while levels rise and fall. The authors found stronger subjective intoxication and greater stated willingness to drive on the rising curve, while several objective driving-related skills remained more impaired on the falling curve.
This resource presents research abstracts about alcohol-related blackouts and amnesia in chronological order. The entries span decades of work on blackout prevalence, predictors, memory, and related harms, and the introduction directs readers to the companion listing arranged alphabetically.
This resource compiles research abstracts on alcohol-related blackouts and amnesia in alphabetical order by study title or author. Its entries summarize varied topics, including drinking and sexual behavior, blackout prevalence and prediction, memory, and alcohol-related consequences, and point readers to a companion chronological listing.
