Borkenstein, Robert F. (Robert Frank), 1912-2002.

Robert F. Borkenstein worked in various capacities with the Indiana State Police in collaboration with Indiana University before retiring in 1958 and coming to IU full time, serving as Professor and Chairman of the Department of Police Administration until his retirement in 1987. He played a major role in developing the department, which was renamed the Department of Forensic Studies in 1970 and again renamed the Department of Criminal Justice in 1985. Borkenstein was a prolific figure in the fields of forensic science and traffic safety; he is well known for inventing the Breathalyzer in 1954 and for research efforts into blood alcohol concentration through the Grand Rapids Study in the 1960s.

From the description of Robert F. Borkenstein papers, 1928-2002, bulk 1940-2002. (Indiana University). WorldCat record id: 700949936

Robert F. Borkenstein was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana on August 31, 1912. He graduated high school at the onset of the Great Depression and was unable to continue on to college due to financial constraints. Instead, he found employment as a photographic technician in Fort Wayne where he developed an expertise in color film, leading to his invention of a color camera. Due to his photographic skill, creativity, and analytical abilities, Borkenstein was hired in the newly established Indiana State Police Criminological Laboratory in 1936, where he rose through the ranks from civilian clerk up to Captain in charge of Laboratory Services. Throughout his employment with the Indiana State Police, Borkenstein advanced the use of photography in law enforcement and assisted in the development of the polygraph machine.

While working with the Indiana State Police, Borkenstein developed a professional relationship with Professor Rolla N. Harger of the Indiana School of Medicine who was working to develop the Drunkometer-the first practical instrument in breath alcohol analysis developed 1938. However, because of the Drunkometer’s complicated use and low reliability, Borkenstein continued to work to develop a more reliable device. As a result, in 1954 Borkenstein created the Breathalyzer, a more compact, easier to operate breath test machine which produced reliable results concerning blood alcohol content. It went on to revolutionize the ability of traffic enforcement officials’ to identify and prosecute drivers under the influence of alcohol. The breathalyzer was commercially produced and adopted in law enforcement agencies throughout the country and world.

During the course of the 1950s, Borkenstein attended Indiana University on a part time basis graduating with his A.B. degree in forensic sciences in 1958. That same year he retired from his position with the Indiana State Police and joined the Indiana University faculty as Chairman of the newly established Department of Police Administration. One of the only programs of its kind at the time, the department continued to develop over the course of his tenure – changing its name to the Department of Forensic Studies in 1970 and again to the Department of Criminal Justice in 1985. In 1971, Borkenstein became the director of the IU Center for Studies of Law in Action, which went on to offer a reoccurring Robert F. Borkenstein Course on Alcohol and Highway Safety: Testing, Research, and Litigation for forensic science, law enforcement, and criminal justice professionals.

In addition to his administrative roles at Indiana University, Borkenstein was an avid researcher and prolific figure in his field. One of his most significant research endeavors was the Grand Rapids Study of 1967-1968, the findings of which supported changing the legal blood alcohol content from 0.1 to 0.08. In light of his achievements, Borkenstein was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Science by Wittenberg University in 1963 and an Honorary LL.D. from Indiana University in 1987. Borkenstein retired from the University in March 1987, though he continued to hold the position of Professor Emeritus and Director Emeritus of the Center for Studies of Law in Action.

Throughout his life, Borkenstein was heavily involved in professional organizations related to the forensic sciences and traffic safety. These included: the Indiana University Society for Advanced Study, the Indiana University Transportation Research Center, American Academy of Forensic Sciences, Harvard Associates in Police Science, International Association of Chiefs of Police, Alliance for Traffic Safety, American Public Health Association, Chairman of the National Safety Council, consultant to the President’s Task Force on Highway Safety, president of the International Council on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety, and president of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences.

Borkenstein married Marjorie K. Buchanan in 1938. The couple had no children. Marjorie preceded her husband in death in December 1998. Borkenstein died on August 10, 2002 at the age of 89.

From the guide to the Robert F. Borkenstein papers, 1928-2002, bulk 1940-2002, (Indiana University Office of University Archives and Records Management http://www.libraries.iub.edu/archives)