NCJ Number
107747
Date Published
1987
Length
30 pages
Annotation
After presenting background information on drug-crime relationships generally and the operation of the District of Columbia criminal justice system and the Pretrial Services Agency (PSA), this monograph describes the components of the PSA's drug-testing program (urinalysis) for defendants.
Abstract
PSA's Drug Detection Center began its comprehensive urine-testing program in March 1984. Defendants are tested shortly after arrest and periodically during the Pretrial release period. Urine collection is conducted by PSA staff working in the cellblock. Urine samples are hand-carried by technicians to the laboratory, which is located at the courthouse. Strict chain-of-custody procedures are maintained at all times. Any sample which tests positive for a drug is retested using the enzyme multiplied immunoassay technique. Defendants who test positive for one or more drugs at the initial screening may be ordered by the court into a weekly urine-testing program. Defendants who fail the weekly testing may choose either to enter a treatment program or to receive intensive testing (twice a week). If they test positive twice in the intensive testing, PSA reports to the court that the defendant has violated the conditions of pretrial release. The description of program implementation covers designing the program, startup problems, staffing of the center, and the management of drug testing and chain-of-custody procedures. 47 footnotes.