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Because substance abuse and delinquency are inextricably interrelated, identifying substanceabusing youth in the juvenile justice system is an important first step for intervening in both their substance abuse and their delinquent behavior. Drug identification strategies, followed by effective interventions, help prevent further illicit drug use and delinquency. Drug testing can be a constructive means of helping youth overcome denial of their substance abuse.
Drug Identification Programs
Five sites engaged primarily in juvenile probation and three juvenile detention centers implemented the drug identification programs. Each received assistance from the APPA or the ACA/IBH to establish a drug-testing and intervention program meeting standards based on national research on drug-testing programs. Across the eight demonstration sites, the percentage of positive drug test results obtained from youth ranged from 10 percent in one site to 37 percent in another, a finding that corresponds to other data that show a significant amount of illicit drug use among youth in the juvenile justice system. The most frequent positive results in all sites were for marijuana. In most of the sites, the next highest rate of positive results was for cocaine. However, in all but one site, the percentage of positive results for cocaine was dramatically lower than the percentage of positive results for marijuana. Two sites had several positive tests for PCP. Several sites also reported positive results for other, unspecified drugs, Across the eight sites, positive test results for opiates, barbiturates, amphetamines, and benzodiazepines were minimal. However, one detention site reported that although youth were admitting use of amphetamines at higher rates, cost factors prohibited routine testing for these drugs....