Justice Speaks Podcast Episode #23

More than 2,300,000 Americans are currently incarcerated, about a quarter of these for drug offenses^[1]. Additionally, 80% of those in our prisons are either addicted to or abusing drugs^[2]. Currently 40 states operate prison systems that are above 90% capacity; of those 23 are at about one hundred percent of capacity^[3]. This means that some states are currently spending more on their prisons then on education

Incarceration is clearly not an answer to drug addiction and the so-called “war on drugs” has simply failed. Almost 73% of the individuals incarcerated for drug related crimes are rearrested within two years of their release^[4]. This failure rate would be unacceptable in almost any other institution and yet we tolerate it in our prison system.

If there were no other answer, then perhaps it would be acceptable but we know from recent statistics that there is a better approach. This approach, known as drug treatment courts, targets individuals at high risk for reoffending and places them in a program that relies on the 10 Key Components of drug treatment courts^[5].These components form the basis of an approach that is far more successful then incarceration. A comparison of high risk offenders placed in a drug treatment court shows that two years after their successful completion of a drug treatment court the recidivism rate was only 25%, one third the re-arrest rate of incarceration alone^[6].

Drug Testing: A Key Component

An important component of drug treatment court’s is the emphasis placed on drug testing. In fact, it is one of the Key Components: “abstinence is monitored by frequent random drug testing”^[7]. An important study of drug courts found the testing was significantly related to both a reduction in drug use and recidivism^[8].

A good drug-testing program provides deterrence; identifies clients who are using and who are abstinent; and, serves as an adjunct to treatment. There are many different ways to test for drugs: blood, breath, hair, sweat, oral fluids, and urine. Each have their advantages and disadvantages witch should be understood when selecting the appropriate approach to testing an individual defendant.

Drug Testing Series

Part one of “The Nuts and Bolts of Drug Testing” gives you the basic information that you need to determine why you should test and what test to use. Part two discusses Treatment Court best practices for drug testing. Click HERE to go to the second part of this series. Part three examines the specimen collection practices to ensure accurate results for Treatment Courts. Click HERE to go to the third part.

 

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