Evaluation of Adult Urine Testing/Drug Use Surveillance Project in Washington, DC, 1984-1986 (ICPSR 9947)

Version Date: May 13, 1993

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Principal Investigator(s):
Mary A. Toborg, Toborg Associates, Inc.; Anthony Yezer, Toborg Associates, Inc.; John P. Bellassai, Toborg Associates, Inc.

https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR09947.v1

Version V1

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Summary

These data were gathered to assess whether drug users are greater risks than nonusers for rearrest or failure to appear for scheduled court appearances while on pretrial release. The data also evaluate the relative effectiveness of periodic surveillance through urinalysis, traditional narcotic treatment, or neither in reducing rearrest and failure to appear during the pretrial period. The collection provides information on arrestees who both tested positive for drugs and were released on recognizance as well as those arrestees who tested negative but were not released on recognizance. Drugs tested for include heroin, cocaine, PCP, methadone, and amphetamines. Arrestees who were released were randomly assigned to one of three groups: weekly urine testing, referral to drug treatment, or a control condition. The data offer information on the offender's background, family and employment status, probation and parole status, pending charges, and prior convictions. Other variables include date of arrest, charge, initial release, decision, date of disposition, type of final disposition, number of subsequent arrests before trial, and number of bench warrants issued. Results of urine tests at arrest are available for about 65 percent of the total sample. For those in the experimental surveillance group, summary urine test results from the periodic testing program are available. There is no measure of treatment for the drug treatment or control groups.

Citation

Toborg, Mary A., Yezer, Anthony, and Bellassai, John P. Evaluation of Adult Urine Testing/Drug Use Surveillance Project in Washington, DC, 1984-1986. Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 1993-05-13. https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR09947.v1

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Funding

United States Department of Justice. Office of Justice Programs. National Institute of Justice (83-IJ-CX-K049)

Subject Terms

Geographic Coverage

Distributor(s)

Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research
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Time Period(s)

1984-06 -- 1986-12

Data Collection Notes

  1. Users are cautioned that some variables may contain wild codes or other unexpected values. Variables located in column positions 622-1737 are particularly subject to this condition.

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Study Purpose

Data were collected for two purposes: (1) to assess whether drug users are greater risks than nonusers for rearrest or failure to appear (FTA) for scheduled court appearances while on pretrial release, and (2) to test the relative effectiveness of periodic surveillance through urinalysis, traditional narcotic treatment, or neither in reducing rearrest and FTA during the pretrial period. The Pretrial Services Agency (PSA) of Washington, DC tests arrestees for drug use at the time of arrest. The data include urine test results for five drugs: heroin, cocaine, PCP, methadone, and amphetamines. An important feature of this study is that persons who (1) tested positive for drugs and (2) who were released on recognizance were randomly assigned to one of three groups: periodic urine testing (usually weekly), referral to drug treatment, or a control condition. The data file also includes arrestees who were negative for drugs and for whom a Released on Recognizance (ROR) release was not obtained.

Sample

All adults arrested that are brought to the attention of the Pretrial Services Agency (PSA) of Washington, DC. The data exclude unfounded arrests and other arrests which were immediately disposed. Persons arrested more than once during the sampling period have multiple data records.

Universe

Individual adult offenders in Washington, DC who have been arrested and interviewed by the Pretrial Services Agency.

Unit(s) of Observation

Arrests of individual adult offenders.

Data Source

personal interviews with arrestees, official Pretrial Services Agency administrative records, and results from urinalysis tests

Data Type(s)

Description of Variables

The PSA collects information relevant for pretrial release recommendations including offender's background, family and employment status, probation and parole status, pending charges, and prior convictions. The data also contain the PSA's summary assessment of likely offender flight or safety problems and the reasons for that assessment. The official record information includes date of arrest, charge, initial release decision, date of disposition, type of final disposition, number of subsequent arrests before trial, date of first rearrest, FTA information, and number of bench warrants issued. Results of urine tests at arrest are available for about 65 percent of the total sample. For those in the experimental surveillance group, summary urine test results from the periodic testing program are available. There is no measure of treatment for the drug treatment or control groups.

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Original Release Date

1993-05-13

Version History

2018-02-15 The citation of this study may have changed due to the new version control system that has been implemented. The previous citation was:
  • Toborg, Mary A., Anthony Yezer, and John P. Bellassai. Evaluation of Adult Urine Testing/Drug Use Surveillance Project in Washington, DC, 1984-1986. ICPSR09947-v1. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2020-01-20. http://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR09947.v1
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Notes

  • The public-use data files in this collection are available for access by the general public. Access does not require affiliation with an ICPSR member institution.