NCJ Number
176340
Date Published
July 1999
Length
157 pages
Annotation
This report describes how to integrate drug testing into a jurisdiction's pretrial services program, based on the experiences of Federal and local pilot and demonstration pretrial drug testing sites; the discussion focuses on operational, management, and legal issues.
Abstract
The experiences of these sites revealed the elements crucial for a program's success. Findings revealed that integrating drug testing into the court process requires gaining support from system representatives, integrating drug testing into the risk assessment process, and integrating drug testing into the supervised release process. Operational issues include the chain of custody, testing of specimens, and confidentiality. Recent technological developments in drug testing include the expansion of hand-held devices to test for drug use and the introduction of the sweat patch. Sophisticated means have also been developed to detect flushing the system through fluid loading and specimen adulteration to mask drug use. Management issues include staffing, the information system, the procedures manual, and cost issues. Courts have ruled that drug testing complies with substantive due process when collection and testing procedures are reasonable. Courts have also ruled that drug testing can be imposed as a release condition. Program administrators should consult their jurisdiction's attorney for an opinion before undertaking drug testing. Charts, sample forms, reference notes, appended list of current pretrial drug testing programs, list of sources of further information, and annotated bibliography listing 53 references