Costs

A paramount concern for agency administrators and others who must worry about budgets is the cost of drug testing. There are several important factors to consider. This document provides information for estimating program costs. However, as each agency or program is different, tests diverse numbers of youth, and perhaps needs to test for different classes of drugs, cost factors must be adjusted for each locality. (Three examples of costs for substance testing in different types of juvenile justice agencies appear below.)

• Costs that are constant regardless of methodology used, such as:
  • Supplies for collecting specimens (e.g., collection cups, rubber gloves, chain-of-custody forms).

  • Space and equipment required (e.g., a toilet and sink with running water for specimen collection; secure refrigerator and freezer space for storing specimens; if testing is onsite, a secure room for storing testing equipment and analyzing specimens that includes a sink with running water to dispose of negative specimens; a trash receptacle for disposing of used testing supplies).

  • Utility costs for additional water used.

  • Personnel time for collecting specimens and completing necessary paperwork for chain-of-custody procedures.

  • Trainer costs, staff time, and materials for general training of staff in substance-testing policies and procedures.

• Costs that vary by methodology selected, including:
  • Costs per test for onsite instrument-based testing. Testing a specimen for a single drug with these instruments presently costs about $1 per test for the reagents required (Pretrial Services Resource Center, 1998). In addition, there is the initial cost for purchasing the instrument or ongoing costs for leasing it (these costs often are negotiable and may be lower if the program purchases a certain volume of testing supplies from the manufacturer). Further, it probably will be prudent to purchase a maintenance contract for the machine. Electrical renovations may be required for its proper use, and higher electric utility bills are possible. Additional training and staff time for the operator(s) of the machine also must be considered.

  • Costs per test for onsite noninstrument-based testing (kits). Prices currently range from about $2.50 to $4.50 per individual test according to Pretrial Services Resource Center (1998). These usually are less expensive when purchased in larger quantities, but they may have a limited shelf-life. Thus, an agency should purchase only the number of tests that reasonably can be used before the expiration date. Costs will be greater for devices that test for multiple drugs or when several single drug tests are used to detect multiple drugs.

  • Costs per test for laboratory testing. These costs may vary markedly depending on the volume of testing, the drugs tested for, and the laboratory used. According to Pretrial Services Resource Center (1998), the costs can range from about $2 or $3 to $20 for each drug tested. In addition, there are costs for shipping specimens to the laboratory.

  • Costs per test for confirmatory testing (usually by a laboratory). Regardless of the initial testing method selected, it may be necessary to budget for some confirmatory tests. The amount required may depend on the program's policies. Some policies require confirmation of all positives, others require confirmation only if results will be used for legal purposes, and some confirm only if the youth contests the findings. In some cases, youth are required to pay for confirmatory tests that also show a positive result, while the agency pays if the confirmation test is negative.

• Costs for a substance-testing information system. Keeping accurate information about each youth and the entire testing program is vital. Records can be kept by hand, but unless the population of youth to be tested is quite small, record keeping on computers is likely to save time and yield more accurate and accessible results. Costs associated with this may include software, programming time, hardware, and data entry time.

• Costs for responding to tested youth. As stated previously, there should be a response given for each and every test administered. Much of the time, a verbal response praising youth for a negative test or counseling and admonishing them for a positive test will be the primary response. However, some programs may want to include rewards for ongoing negative tests and graduated sanctions for ongoing positive tests. Rewards could include the cost-saving measures of decreasing the frequency of testing and limiting visits by community supervision personnel. On the other hand, sanctions such as increased testing and supervision or the need for referrals to treatment or other programs may increase the financial cost to the juvenile justice agency.

• The number of youth to be tested.

• The number of personnel to be trained.

• The frequency of testing.

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• Federal, State, and local grants and funding programs. For example, the JAIBG legislation states: "Funds received under this program may be expended for such purpose [i.e., substance testing]." Some States or localities have drug seizure programs where money and property related to drug trafficking are confiscated. These funds often can be used for combating drug use and might be available for a juvenile substance-testing program.

• Agency collaboration. For example, agencies can share space, pool supplies, and engage in interagency training and staffing to defray the costs of implementing the program.

• Resource sharing. It may be possible to obtain donations of needed items, such as refrigerators, rubber gloves, testing supplies, and possibly even test equipment in exchange for public recognition by the agency.

• Fundraising. Businesses, organizations, churches, and other community entities interested in fighting crime, protecting the community, and helping youth could provide funding for the program.

• User fees. This is not as realistic with youth as it is with adults, because youth seldom have steady income; however, youth might be required to provide community service or engage in other work activities in exchange for testing.
  
  

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