Abstract
Since 1995, Corrections Services Canada (CSC) has conducted randomized urinalysis screening of a minimum of 5% of the federal inmate population on a monthly basis. Urine samples are screened for a broad range of psychoactive substances. The stated purpose of such screening is to reduce substance use in federal jails. Analysis of data provided by CSC for testing between 1994 and 1998 reveals small but statistically significant increases in the percentage of all urine samples that tested positive over that time. Analysis of the results of screening for opiates, cocaine and THC from data provided by CSC for the same time period, shows steady rates of opiate and cocaine detection at maximum and medium levels of security, decreases in opiate and cocaine detection in minimum security, and statistically significant increases in THC detection at all levels of security. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Résumé
Depuis 1995, chaque mois, le Service correctionnel du Canada (SCC) procède à des analyses d’urine prélevée de façon aléatoire sur 5% au moins de la population carcérale détenue dans les prisons fédérales. Les analyses des échantillons d’urine ont pour objet de détecter toute une gamme de substances psychoactives. Le but officiel de ce dépistage est de réduire la toxicomanie dans les prisons fédérales. L’analyse des données fournies par le SCC pour les tests effectués entre 1994 et 1998 révêle de petites bien que statistiquement significatives augmentations du pourcentage d’échantillons positifs. L’analyse des résultats des tests de détection des opiacés, de la cocaïne et du THC à partir des données fournies par le SCC pour la même période révêle des taux stables de détection de ces substances dans les établissements de sécurité maximale et moyenne, des baisses des taux de détection des opiacés et de la cocaïne dans les établissements de sécurité minimale, et des augmentations statistiquement significatives de la détection du THC dans tous les établissements. Cet article analyse ces résultats.
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