While the functions of the software have been highlighted in the context of their use in the drug court, its use extends far beyond this area. Comprehensive, routine drug testing is the norm throughout the court system. The Agency also serves judges in the Family Division presiding on juvenile and neglect calendars. Recently the Agency began drug testing of probationers for the Court's Social Services Division. Drug testing must be considered a basic element of any strategy to use the court's legal pressure to enhance treatment outcomes.
Drug testing is relatively cheap and increasingly reliable.
The problem of substance abuse is pervasive among offender populations. Good management information systems are a must for any large jurisdiction that is serious about doing something about the problem. The Drug Test Management System is an example of what can be done using only moderate resources, offtheshelftechnology and lots of imagination. It incorporates and makes possible a philosophy of risk management that appears very promising. Finally, with its attention to the needs of evaluators, it permits the kind of research that is rarely possible in the criminal justice and treatment arenas.