Drug testing on arrest-who benefits?

Area of Science:

• Criminal Justice
• Public Health
• Addiction Science

Background:

• The link between drug use and crime necessitates effective interventions within the criminal justice system.
• Diversion programs aim to connect individuals with drug treatment at critical points, such as arrest.
• The introduction of drug testing on arrest (DToA) presents a potential strategy for early intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of implementing drug testing on arrest (DToA) in a low-crime area in England.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of DToA in facilitating engagement with drug treatment services.
• To explore client and professional perspectives on the DToA process.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods study analyzing performance data from the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System and Drug Test Recorder.
• Inclusion of semi-structured interviews with clients and criminal justice professionals involved in the DToA program.
• Analysis of data from 2210 individuals tested 2861 times.

Main Results:

• 42.0% of individuals tested positive for drugs.
• Only 3% of those testing positive subsequently engaged with effective treatment.
• Despite low direct engagement, overall treatment engagements within the criminal justice system increased from 20% to 26% year-on-year.
• Clients and professionals found DToA to be an acceptable addition to the treatment pathway.
• Interviews suggested arrest is a pivotal moment that may aid primary desistance from offending.

Conclusions:

• The staggered introduction of DToA complicated direct impact measurement, with potential 'displacement' effects noted.
• DToA contributed to an overall improvement in criminal justice drug treatment system performance and strengthened care pathways.
• Engagement barriers were identified for entrenched opiate users, limiting DToA's effectiveness in this population.
• This study is the first to examine DToA implementation in a low-crime setting.