Drug Testing Policies and Practices: Predicting Successful Outcomes among Juveniles Participating in Pretrial Diversion Programs

Drug testing is a frequent condition of juvenile justice programs, although research on the effects of drug testing juveniles - especially early system-involved youth - is scarce. The risk-needs-responsivity (RNR) model suggests drug testing would only be a beneficial intervention if substance use c...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Justice evaluation journal (Online) 2022-01, Vol.5 (1), p.36-52
Main Authors: Harris, Chelsea W., Wylie, Lindsey
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alcohol related crime
Criminal justice
Criminality
diversion
Diversion programs
drug test
Drug testing
Drug use
Intervention
Juvenile
Juvenile justice
Juvenile offenders
Minors
recidivism
risk-needs-responsivity
substance use
Youth
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Summary:Drug testing is a frequent condition of juvenile justice programs, although research on the effects of drug testing juveniles - especially early system-involved youth - is scarce. The risk-needs-responsivity (RNR) model suggests drug testing would only be a beneficial intervention if substance use contributes to a youth's criminal behavior and has a rehabilitative component. We examined drug testing policies and practices in one Midwestern state utilizing interviews with 27 diversion program managers and a statewide sample of 665 youth referred to pretrial diversion. Analysis tested whether drug testing juveniles with and without a substance use need predicted successful completion of diversion and decreased the probability of future system involvement. Results indicated that drug testing was not a significant predictor of successfully completing diversion, nor did it decrease youths' odds of recidivating in the year after discharge from diversion. Further, those with a substance use need were significantly less likely to successfully complete diversion than those without a substance use need, indicating that diversion programs should utilize rehabilitative methods for addressing criminogenic drug or alcohol needs.
ISSN:2475-1979
2475-1987
DOI:10.1080/24751979.2021.1952643