NCJ Number
85668
Journal
Bewaehrungshilfe Volume: 28 Issue: 1 Dated: (1981) Pages: 45-56
Date Published
1981
Length
12 pages
Annotation
A West German jurisdiction (Loerrach) has instituted periodic urinalysis checks of heroin use by addicted juvenile probationers who have not yet been placed in long-term, inpatient drug treatment.
Abstract
The program has required coordination and cooperation between juvenile justice and health agencies. Clients undergo 3-to-6-month counseling for confidence building before embarking on the outpatient control schedule (every 14 days). Probation officers are committed to long-term relationships with their individual clients and practice counseling geared to developing the juveniles' self-reliance. The urine control procedure stimulated peer discussion at group therapy sessions about breaking the drug habit. Since 1978, 25 juveniles (including 6 girls) have taken part in the program. Although 9 experienced relapses and 16 missed the control dates, three-fourths of the group appear to have overcome addiction without having been institutionalized for treatment. Relapses are viewed as attempts to test or provoke persons important to the client (parents, probation officers, lovers, etc.) and should not be responded to with rejection. The probation counselors should instead concentrate on helping clients cope with the psychic problems which originally precipitated addiction. Furthermore, the urinalysis program provides judges with measurable control criteria to justify probation release. Although the urinalysis checkup is not specified by juvenile law as a probation condition, it can be imposed as an additional requirement. Among its potential legal difficulties is that it may become an involuntary form of self-incrimination. Such programs have been made possible through new radioimmunological techniques that can ascertain miniscule traces of opiates in the urine up to 3 weeks after consumption. Ten footnotes are given.