NCJ Number
191189
Date Published
May 2001
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This report reviews the various ways of testing for illicit drugs in humans and the role of drug detection in law enforcement.
Abstract
The detection of drugs plays an important role in many areas of society, such as sports, suspicious deaths, violent crime, and travel and work safety. Drug testing technology has been available for the past 40 years, but it was only in the past 10 years that Australia has begun to use drug testing on a wider scale, particularly in the criminal justice system. This is due to two factors—an increase in drug-related problems and advances in the technology itself. Currently, testing for illicit drugs is primarily through urinalysis. Less invasive methods, such as saliva and hair testing, are available but have limitations. Another problem is the capacity for current drug detection technologies to differentiate between use and intoxication. Although such matters appear arcane and of little relevance to the lives of citizens, these are important matters within a law enforcement context where individuals can be deprived of their liberty. The report reviews the history of drug detection, new advances in urinalysis screening tests, and the proper calibration techniques used by laboratories. Law enforcement agencies are also using drug detection technology to analyze drug seizures to determine not only their compounds but also to identify their origin in the global drug market.