Discover what probation drug testing and its procedures

There are a lot of situations where a person needs to give an alcohol or drug test. To meet a legal prerequisite that they are or will keep free from alcohol abuses or illegal substance use. With probation drug testing, a parole officer or probation officer, a drug court may need drug testing. If it’s undetermined that an individual will keep their sobriety, as a part of the agreement of criminal sentencing.

Alcohol and drug testing are also used in legal battles about divorce cases, child custody. And DWI or DUI cases too. If you have been ordered to probation in a court of law, you are likely to submit to drug testing. It can be scary once you’ve never been in that situation before. You might like to know-how are the procedures of probation drug testing.

What is probation drug testing?

 Probation drug testing normally comprises five-panel screens or ten-panel screens. These tests are for cocaine, alcohol, PCP, marijuana, amphetamines, and other street drugs. These can be tested through blood, urine, hair samples, and many more. Probation drug test procedures will depend based on why you were placed on probation. Your probation officer or the court will assign various kinds of drug tests.

 Various tests used for probation drug testing

 A person’s probation officer will give guidance on what test you must order. Or in a lot of cases will need an individual to take a particular testing panel. Courts usually use blood, hair, urine, or breath to screen for alcohol or drug use. Below are the most frequently used probation drug tests:

• 5-panel drug test- this will screen for marijuana, opiates, cocaine. Amphetamines, and phencyclidine (PCP). Alcohol is normally added to this panel for probation drug testing.

• 10-panel drug test- this will screen for opiates, marijuana, amphetamines, cocaine, PCP. Also, barbiturates, methadone, benzodiazepines, methaqualone, and propoxyphene. Alcohol is added as well to this panel for probation drug testing.

• Expanded opiates testing can be added to the 10-panel and 5-panel drug tests. This will test hydromorphone, oxymorphone, hydrocodone, and oxycodone.

 These tests can be done through the following:

• Urine Testing
• Urine testing is the most common method of probation drug testing. This method is mostly preferred since it can screen for a lot of types of drugs. And also provide same-day results. This method is very easy and simple, you will get a specimen cup and moist wipe. From the person facilitating the test.

• Blood Testing
• Blood testing is another method that is mostly ordered yet it can happen. This test can screen a lot of types of drugs like the urine test. A blood test can identify the parent drug instead of metabolites only.

• Hair Follicle Testing
• It is infrequent for probation officers or courts to order a hair follicle test. This method is only given to see past drug use. A hair test will show drug use up to 3 months before the test.

Once you are ordered to take a random drug test and they return positive for drugs, you can be charged with violation of probation.