NIJ is seeking alternative techniques with complementary capabilities to strengthen detection and control of drug use. Hair testing may provide wider windows of detection and less opportunity for evasion.
Hair analysis offers unique advantages compared to other currently used drug testing methods.
Hair retains drug components for longer periods, and drug use can be detected in hair for weeks or even months compared to the 2 to 3 days that cocaine or heroin can be detected in blood or urine. NIJ is currently conducting research into the effectiveness of the use of hair analysis, efforts that will explore the cost and operational issues involved in implementing this drug testing method in probation and parole settings. The rising popularity of cocaine since the mid-1980's gave new urgency to the longstanding interest in developing accurate ways to measure the incidence and prevalence of drug use. Accurate estimates of drug trends within an offender population are critical in the development of public policy and the efficient use of limited criminal justice resources. The study also considered how applicable hair testing might be for monitoring the drug status of offenders.