Is it Advisable to Urine Test Arrestees to Assess Risk of Rearrest? A Comparison of Self-Report and Urinalysis-Based Measures of Drug Use

Abstract

The relationship of a positive urine test at arrest to recidivism has been a subject of great debate. Some have suggested that a self-report based measure of intensity of drug use would be a better predictor of recidivism than urinalysis results. We use self-report and urinalysis-based measures of drug use among arrestees in Washington, D.C., to examine the relationship between drug use at arrest and recidivism. We conclude that self-report measures of intensity of drug use are not significantly related to rearrest. A positive urine test result for cocaine is the only measure of drug use that is significantly related to rearrest. Implications for pretrial testing programs are discussed.