PRE-ARRAIGNMENT DRUG TESTS IN THE PRETRIAL RELEASE DECISION: PREDICTING DEFENDANT FAILURE TO APPEAR

• NCJ Number: 142618
• Author(s): S Belenko; I Mara-Drita; J E McElroy
• Date Published: 1992
• Length: 15 pages
• Corporate Author: New York City Criminal Justice Agency, Inc
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/; NCJRS Photocopy Services
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Brief Report Series, December 1992.

Annotation

Pre-trial urinalysis programs, using the Enzyme Multiplied Immunoassay Technique (EMIT), has been implemented in many cities as a means of setting pretrial release conditions or monitoring released defendants. Drug-positive defendants are believed to run a higher risk of pretrial misconduct and failure to appear, and so are supervised more closely during the pretrial period.

Abstract

Data gathered from a sample of 6,103 detainees in Manhattan were used to clarify the relationship between drug use at arrest and pretrial failure to appear; the data were obtained from urinalysis, interviews, and court-processing records. The results showed that the best predictors of failure to appear were pretrial release recommendations and prior failure to appear; EMIT status was a better predictor that self-reported drug use, but weak compared with the other two factors. Other research into this issue is briefly discussed. The authors note several program issues which may affect the potential utility of universal pre-arraignment drug screening and pretrial drug testing programs: pretrial release and supervision, resources, and the technology of drug testing. 5 tables, 8 notes, and 31 references