Criminal

Bucks County Adult Probation and Parole

Drug Testing Information

Substance Abuse is a significant problem for many on probation and parole. Illegal drug abuse is not permitted while under probation and parole supervision. Persons under supervision who are 21 years of age and older may drink alcohol if there is not a condition against alcohol use. However, persons on probation and parole may not abuse alcohol, which is described as "excessive use" in the rules of Probation and Parole. Beyond solely "abuse," there are many that have conditions for no alcohol. They include those to whom the judge has made it a condition at sentencing or parole, as well as all clients under the supervision of the Sex Offender Supervision Unit and the Domestic Violence Supervision Protocol.

Our Department monitors alcohol use and abuse with breathalyzers. The handheld units are the same ones many police departments use for their field sobriety tests. It is a simple, accurate test. Persons under supervision must submit to a breathalyzers if requested by a Probation and Parole Officer.

Drug testing is normally accomplished through urinalysis. We use instant drug tests when we need to have immediate results. Normally, however, we rely on a lab to test the urine samples. The testing sites, times and days of the week are listed on other pages within our site. If a client is directed to give a urine sample, they will report to the nearest testing site at the appropriate time and day. Failure to submit to urinalysis as directed is comparable to testing positive for an illegal drug. A Probation Officer may come to your home and ask for a urine sample. The officer may require an instant test, or make arrangements for the sample to be sent to the lab for testing.

A positive urine test will be a violation of Probation or Parole. Will we arrest someone with a positive test? Probably not, but we have the power to if we chose to do so. It depends upon the situation. Usually the threat of violation of probation or parole by a positive urine sample is enough to motivate a person to seek treatment and therapy. If there are other serious violations of a person's probation and parole, a positive urine sample may be the final technical violation that results in a return to court or to jail.

If you know of someone on probation and parole using drugs, please feel free to call our offices and ask to speak to the person's probation officer. Tell the probation officer, or leave a message, regarding the drug abuse. The sooner a person is confronted with substance abuse, the greater the possibility of an intervention working. Although a client's file is confidential, and we are unable to share detailed information with you, you are not limited in what you can tell us.

Thank you.