myCAMprogram - Bonus Material: Chapters 1-4

Articles for participants in the myCAMprogram

This section of Counterpoint is only available to participants in the myCAMprogram.
The articles and videos presented below are OPTIONAL. Some people learn best by reviewing a video, and maybe glancing over a brief text lesson.
Others learn best by taking a deep-dive into the material that interests you, or is of specific concern. If that sounds like you, then you won't be disappointed. The articles and videos you are about to explore will provide you additional resources, additional understanding, and perhaps a greater appreciation of the complexities of the issues involved.
The sections are broken into Chapters that correspond with the myCAMprogram course. We have included supplemental articles, and occasionally videos, for each lesson that will help you navigate your journey better. 
This page is for Chapters 1 through 4. ​
Chapter 5 is quite long (again, you do NOT have to do each lesson, only those that apply to you - or MAY apply to you). As a result, Chapter 5 has its own Table of Contents page.
Feel free to send us any question you may have. A link for questions and comments is available at the bottom of each article.

Chapter 1: Welcome to myCAMprogram

Lesson 1: Understanding Your Monitoring Journey

Article 1-1

In recent years, Continuous Alcohol Monitoring (CAM) programs have become a component of many criminal justice systems around the world, serving as a means of monitoring individuals accused or convicted of alcohol-related offences. At its core, Continuous Alcohol Monitoring refers to the use of technology to detect and record alcohol consumption in real time. This article provides an overview of CAM programs, exploring their elements, features, and mandates.

Article 1-2

​Continuous Alcohol Monitoring (CAM) programs are increasingly employed within the criminal justice system. ​However, numerous issues accompany these monitoring systems, including false positive readings, difficulties in interpreting the data presented, and concerns over device calibration and potential malfunctions. 

Article 1-3

Court-ordered alcohol monitoring has become a standard condition in criminal and family law proceedings across North America. Yet despite the high stakes, most individuals wearing these devices are given little to no training about how they work, what can go wrong, or how to protect themselves from false positives. Too often, clients are left to navigate this complex and punitive system alone, with devastating consequences. And most clients have no idea how easily things can go wrong.

Chapter 2: Identifying Your CAM Device 

Lesson 2: What Device Are You Using?

Article 2-1

A transdermal alcohol sensor will continuously monitors a test subject for alcohol consumption. The sensor is slightly smaller than a small deck of cards, and is worn on the subject’s ankle, secured by a tamper proof strap. Instead of a BAC, or BrAC reading, the device reports a Transdermal Alcohol Concentration, or TAC.

Article 2-2

This is the first of 2 articles that looks at a Portable Breath Tester and the resulting non-compliance incident it reported. ​The subject had just brushed his teeth in the morning then was summoned by the device for a breath sample. His reported reading was 0.114 g/dL which promptly disappeared by the time of his next breath test 90 minutes later. Learn from this event what NOT to do.

Article 2-3

As we discussed in Part 1, reliability in any forensic measurement is established by creating specific acts, practices and conditions under which the testing is performed. If any one of these is compromised or performed under sub-standard circumstances, the resulting reported value is also sub-standard, and therefore must be considered unreliable.

Article 2-4

I once attended a probation revocation hearing on a person who was jailed five months earlier for a single Transdermal Monitor reading of 0.031 g/dL. All their previous and subsequent TAC readings were reported as zero.  The subject had already done 6 years on transdermal monitoring, and this was their first reported apparent alcohol consumption event. This is why keeping an up-to-date log book is so important...

Chapter 3: Understanding CAM Technology

Lesson 3: Understanding Fuel Cell Devices

Article 3-1

​They come in many different forms: TAS, or Transdermal Alcohol Sensor; IID, or Ignition Interlock Device; PBT, or Portable Breath Testers. Regardless of which one you are using, they all have one thing in common – they utilize a fuel cell to measure the Breath Alcohol Concentration (BrAC) in a breath sample or the TAC (Transdermal Alcohol Concentration) in an ankle monitor. ​

Article 3-2

There have been significant advances in roadside alcohol screening technology over the last 40 years. New fuel cell devices offer an affordable and convenient way for Ignition Interlock Devices or Personal Breath Testers determine a person's BrAC (Breath Alcohol Concentration). This article will introduce the general operation of alcohol screening devices to provide an overview of what they are, how they should be used, and what limitations they have.

Article 3-3

The fuel cell component of preliminary breath alcohol testing devices are not immune to the effects of the interferent chemicals on the readings obtained. They are designed to identify the presence and concentration of ethanol. To a certain extent, all alcohols, including isopropanol, appear as ethanol to fuel cell instruments

Chapter 4: Proper Use of Monitoring Devices

Lesson 4: Providing a Breath Sample
​Proper Breath Sampling - A Demonstration

Article 4-1

It might be helpful to look at best practice in breath alcohol testing. Why are things done a particular way? Why are certain practices desirable? More importantly, what happens if these practices and conditions are not followed?

Article 4-2

​This is an important article for you to read and understand. The breath samples received by your CAM device have to be suitable for analysis. This means free of potential contaminates, as discussed in both the sections on wait & deprivation periods, and medical conditions. 

Article 4-3

The purpose of the Wait, or Deprivation period is to provide verifiable elimination from possible contaminants, regurgitation of stomach contents, vomitus, burping or consumption of unknown substances. Any of these sources of contamination may falsely elevate the reported breath test results. Therefore, best practice testing protocols dictate that the Wait or Deprivation period is carefully followed. 

Article 4-4

This article examines further the logistics of providing a suitable breath sample into your personal breath tester or ignition interlock device. The use of disposable mouthpieces, proper sampling techniques and breath test requirements are discussed.

Article 4-5

One of the most important considerations in a breath alcohol test is your physical ability to provide the necessary breath samples. We’ve discussed in the previous articles (referenced above) the breath test device’s requirements for pressure, volume and exhalation time. Remember that breath alcohol testing is predicated on averages in determining those minimum sample requirements – average lung volume, average ability to exhale hard enough and long enough, etc. Obviously, you need to know if you can meet those minimum sampling requirements. These averages play an important role, particularly in reported non-compliance  cases.

Go to Chapter 5 Articles