Using a Serious Drug Abuser Scale in the Criminal Justice System: Final Report, Expanding Applications of Drug Use Forecasting Data in New York

• NCJ Number: 152209
• Date Published: 1993
• Author(s): B D Johnson; A Golub; M Hossain
• Length: 70 pages
• Grant Number(s): 91-IJ-CX-K014; 89-IJ-R-033; 93-DD-R013; 87-IJ-CX-0064; 1-R01-DA005126-05; 5-T32-DA07233-10; 1-R01-DA0
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)

Annotation

This report is designed to help criminal justice agencies in Manhattan decide whether specific criminal offenders are serious drug abusers and, if so, whether they should be required to participate in drug treatment.

Abstract

Data from the Drug Use Forecasting Program indicates that most offenders in Manhattan are current abusers of cocaine, heroin, or crack. This report introduces two quick-screening devices as tools to support identification and early intervention during criminal justice case processing. The devices require no urinalysis and accurately classify individuals according to the probability of their abusing one of these three drugs. The Arrest Charge-Age Model is easier to use, but classifies relatively fewer offenders as extremely likely or highly likely to abuse heroin or cocaine. The Serious Drug Abuser Scale (SDAS) is user friendly and provides agencies with a probability that a given offender is a drug abuser. The report outlines 12 policy options for using SDAS scores at arrest, adjudication, sentencing, and supervision. SDAS scores may provide a basis for designing a drug treatment plan for convicted offenders, regardless of other sanctions imposed. 5 tables, 2 figures, and 149 references