California authorities initiated a comprehensive assessment following the invalid tests of around 6,000 prisoners for opioid use.
California Prisoners Face Uncertainty Over Tainted Drug Tests and Parole Hearings
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) is conducting a review of hundreds of parole hearings following revelations that hundreds of drug tests, believed to have yielded false positives, may have affected parole decisions for inmates in the state's prison system.
CDCR spokesperson Emily Humpal confirmed that 5,900 drug tests given over several months in 2024 returned false positives for opioids. These false results were discovered last year when Quest Diagnostics, the company contracted to supply the tests, changed the reagent used for the screening process without notification. The decision to use an alternative reagent led to an unusual surge in positive results, with data from advocacy group UnCommon Law indicating that about 1 in 8 tests produced a positive result between April and July, more than triple the usual monthly rate of around 6.7%.
The review will determine whether these false positives played a role in denying parole to inmates who were part of the Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) program. If it is found that positive drug test results were the sole basis for a denial of parole, these inmates could be granted a new parole hearing. It is unclear at this time how many parole hearings will be revisited, but advocacy groups are calling for transparency and thoroughness in the review process.
Not all involved parties are confident that the review will capture every inmate affected. "The Board's review may not capture everyone impacted by this," stated attorney Natasha Baker of UnCommon Law, citing concerns about the criteria used to identify inmates wronged by the tainted tests. California attorney Su Kim, senior policy manager at UnCommon Law, also expressed concerns about the potential impact of false positives on inmates who have yet to appear before the parole board.
Critics of the practice argue that parole decisions should not be based on drug tests alone, particularly in cases where the tests are used for medical purposes and may not accurately reflect an inmate's current substance use. Advocacy groups have long advocated for the exclusion of medical files from parole hearings, contending that the information is private and may not present a complete picture of an inmate's behavior and recovery progress.
The state of California has not disclosed the total number of parole hearings under review. Meanwhile, advocates and attorneys continue to push for greater transparency in the review process, seeking assurances that all affected inmates will receive a fair opportunity to appear before the parole board and secure their release.
- The tainted drug tests issue in California could potentially impact inmates seeking parole, even those from Los Angeles.
- The review by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) may revisit parole hearings related to chronic diseases like chronic kidney disease, given the uncertainty surrounding the accuracy of the drug tests.
- False positives in drug tests could also influence parole decisions for individuals who are part of the health-and-wellness program, such as fitness and exercise routines or mental health therapies.
- The CDCR is facing calls for transparency and thoroughness in the review process, to ensure all inmates affected by the false positive test results get their chance for a new parole hearing.
- In light of the controversy, some are advocating for changes in the law to prevent similar incidents, including the exclusion of medical files from immigration and parole hearings.
- News sources in general-news and crime-and-justice categories are reporting on the impact of car accidents on inmates within the California prison system, wondering if these incidents contributed to false positives in the drug tests.
- With false positive drug test results, individuals dealing with chronic diseases such as chronic kidney diseases could be unfairly denied parole, potentially compromising their health-and-wellness going forward.
- Nutrition experts are concerned that the false positives might also affect inmates who are part of dietary programs, as their parole hearings could be influenced by the test results.
- Advocates for science and technology are urging the California prison system to implement more advanced and accurate drug testing methods to avoid similar incidents that hinder justice and the well-being of the inmates.
- In Los Angeles and across California, there is growing apprehension about the long-term effects of the flawed drug tests on the immigration and parole process, with concerns over the potential misrepresentation of an individual's current state of health and ability to reintegrate into society.
