NCJ Number
139418
Journal
Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency Volume: 29 Issue: 4 Dated: (November 1992) Pages: 430-465
Date Published
1992
Length
36 pages
Annotation
This paper describes the results of field experiments involving pretrial drug-testing demonstration projects conducted in Milwaukee, Wisc. and Prince George's County (Md.) in 1988 and 1989 as part of a six-site effort sponsored by the Bureau of Justice Assistance of the U.S. Department of Justice.
Abstract
Programs were implemented at the pre-bail and pretrial release stages to deter failure to appear and rearrest for crimes during pretrial release. Although the data from the experiments did not support the hypotheses that the drug testing would improve pretrial release decisionmaking and that it would deter defendants from flight and crime better than release without drug monitoring, the experimental findings cannot be meaningfully interpreted in isolation from knowledge of the implementation context in the sites. In fact, the demonstration programs in each site experienced challenging obstacles in implementing the programs as intended. Nevertheless, the need to account for these difficulties does not undermine the strength of the findings. Instead, the implementation difficulties themselves should be seen as important findings concerning the feasibility of such programs. Figures, tables, notes, and 36 references (Author abstract modified)