DOI: 10.3886/icpsr03213
title: Integrating the Ion Mobility Spectrometer Into Drug Monitoring at the New Orleans Pretrial Diversion Program, 1996
title: Archival Version

description: This project was designed to evaluate the use of a drug
 detection instrument, the ion mobility spectrometer (IMS), and to
 integrate its use into an ongoing pretrial diversion program for
 nonviolent, first-time, drug-abusing offenders. The Pretrial
 Diversion Program in Orleans Parish, Louisiana, targeted offenders
 with limited arrest histories of nonviolent felony or misdemeanor
 violations. The majority of eligible participants were violators of
 simple drug possession statutes, primarily crack/cocaine or
 marijuana. Persons charged with drug distribution offenses were not
 eligible. In order to qualify for diversion, persons had to admit
 guilt regarding the acts for which they were arrested. The program
 was entirely voluntary. One of the unique aspects of this program
 was its aggressive use of drug testing, including urinalysis and hair
 analysis. This project evaluated the ability of the IMS to provide
 complete drug profile information to supervising agencies and
 assessed its usefulness to field staff engaged in drug monitoring
 duties. The project was based on the premise that enhanced
 information on offenders diverted into this program could create or
 improve several key aspects of program operation, such as client
 assessment, monitoring of compliance and progress, dispositional
 decision-making, client motivation, and staff morale. The study was
 designed to integrate the IMS into the normal operation of the New
 Orleans Pretrial Diversion Program with as little modification of
 existing treatment and supervision protocols as possible. Each client
 in the diversion program underwent an intensive intake assessment
 including an intake radioimmunoassay (RIA) hair assay and an
 additional RIA hair assay every 60 days. Each client was urine-tested
 at intake and assigned to a random test pool. The modified protocol
 for the project added an IMS-based scan or a hair specimen, skin
 wipe, and ten-second vacuum scan of clothing, hands, and axillae at
 intake. At each subsequent visit each client had a repeat IMS scan
 utilizing a skin swab and a scan of clothing or body area. Variables
 include self-reported cocaine use, self-reported marijuana use, IMS
 date, urinalysis date, hair assay results, urinalysis results, IMS
 detection, nicotine use, maximum amplitude, delta, cumulative
 amplitude, number of detections, whether the IMS showed a positive
result, and the age, sex, and race of the client.
description: This project was designed to evaluate the use of
 a drug detection instrument, the ion mobility spectrometer (IMS), and
 to integrate its use into an ongoing pretrial diversion program for
 nonviolent, first-time, drug-abusing offenders. The Pretrial
 Diversion Program in Orleans Parish, Louisiana, targeted offenders
 with limited arrest histories of nonviolent felony or misdemeanor
 violations. One of the unique aspects of this program was its
 aggressive use of drug testing, including urinalysis and hair
 analysis. A random urinalysis testing protocol provided short-term
 monitoring of drug use, while hair assays permitted a relatively
 long-term evaluation of a person's exposure to and use of illegal
 drugs, especially cocaine. This project evaluated the ability of the
 IMS to provide complete drug profile information to supervising
 agencies and assessed its usefulness to field staff engaged in drug
 monitoring duties. The project was based on the premise that enhanced
 information on offenders diverted into this program could create or
 improve several key aspects of program operation, such as client
 assessment, monitoring of compliance and progress, dispositional
decision-making, client motivation, and staff morale.
description: The study was designed to integrate the IMS into
 the normal operation of the New Orleans Pretrial Diversion Program
 with as little modification of existing treatment and supervision
 protocols as possible. The IMS is a highly sensitive analytic
 chemical detector. It is a "time of flight" instrument, based on the
 ionization of an unknown analyte, the introduction of the ionized
 material into a drift tube, and the detection and recording of the
 collision of the ionized material with a collector plate. The
 combination of the length of time of the material in the drift tube
 (the drift time) plotted with the energy detected by the collector
 plate produces a characteristic signature, called a plasmagram, which
 can be uniquely associated with a known material. The IMS was located
 on-site at the diversion program location that was housed within the
 New Orleans District Attorney's office complex. Each client in the
 diversion program underwent an intensive intake assessment including
 an intake radioimmunoassay (RIA) hair assay and an additional RIA
 hair assay every 60 days. Each client had a urine test at intake and
 was assigned to a random test pool. The modified protocol for the
 project added an IMS-based scan or a hair specimen, skin wipe, and
 ten-second vacuum scan of clothing, hands, and axillae at intake. At
 each subsequent visit each client had a repeat IMS scan utilizing a
 skin swab and a scan of clothing or body area. Clients had additional
 vacuum scans done when deemed appropriate by a counselor. The
 incentive for the offender was that upon successful completion of
 program requirements after a prescribed period of time (a minimum of
 six months for felonies and three months for misdemeanors), the
 charges were dismissed and the person did not appear in
 court. Violations of the program conditions resulted in program
 dismissal, at which time the case would reenter the normal judicial
routing for prosecution.
description: Variables include self-reported cocaine use,
 self-reported marijuana use, IMS date, urinalysis date, hair assay
 results, urinalysis results, IMS detection, nicotine use, maximum
 amplitude, delta, cumulative amplitude, number of detections, whether
 the IMS showed a positive result, and the age, sex, and race of the
client.
description: Response Rates: Not applicable.
description: Presence of Common Scales: None.
description: Datasets: 
DS1: Integrating the Ion Mobility Spectrometer Into Drug Monitoring at the New Orleans Pretrial Diversion Program, 1996
description: All offenders participating in the New Orleans Pretrial
Diversion Program in 1996.