probation drug test

[malandro]

i am on probation in houston for a drug offense. i recently took a drug test which i may fail. how long would it be from the time i took the test until they got results and what would happen (and how soon?) if i did fail?

[jdswifey02]

malandro....
it depends on what kind of test they did... (I used to be and am still licensed as a substance abuse counselor so I have a bit of experience with U/A's).. most probation departments use "dip" style tests that give immediate results... but if they send it off to a lab, it just depends on where they send it... figure anywhere from three days to ten days.... As far as what will happen... that depends on your P.O. and how strict the courts are there. Have you been in treatment at all????

[danielle]

A lot of it depends on the probation officer. Wayne failed a drug test about a year ago, but told his PO before he took it that there was a possibility he could fail it and asked for help. The PO lectured him a little bit, told him if it happened again he would violate his parole, and suggested he go to 12 step meetings and offered to put him in a treatment program. When the results came back, it was positive and he talked to Wayne about it again. Nothing more came of it, but the PO said that it was because Wayne was honest with him and had a desire to get help.

[Steve&kids]

Alot of you always say "It depends on your PO"! Are they , the PO, that powerful?Steve&kids

[KConnor56]

Malandro,

JD's, & Monica are exactly right.

Steve, Yes your PO has pretty much complete control over your life. They can make your Probation/Parole easy or a living hell, most fall in between. I have all kinds from ass's to fairly cool ones. I could go on.--------Ken

[David]

I've done probation time for Harris County in Houston. When I was there they sent everything off for results. Chances are they won't say anything until your next meeting. If they got you on a dirty and you know it, I would plan to come clean with them if it shows up.
What is your probation behind? Is it drug related or something else? This may have a bearing on how they handle it also.. Have you had problems with your PO in the past? Details...

[Jeni]

My boyfriend was on parole, and had to drop once a month. He started dropping dirty, and asked for help. They didn't violate him right off the bat, but they eventually did and sent him back to prison. His po was ok, I mean she did give him time to try and straighten himself out, but when he couldn't, back he went. Your po has COMPLETE control over your life! It's kinda scary! In terms of the actual test itself, like everyone else said, if they use the dip method, the results are immediate. In my boyfriend's case, when he would show positive, they would send it to the lab to determine exactly what he was positive for. That sometimes took up to two weeks.

[KConnor56]

Out here it is pretty standard for parole & probation to give you three dirties before they violate you. For the most part you test once a month till you come up dirty then they have you test once a week. They do have a thing called Code-A-Phone, where you they give you a number, you call in everyday & the recorded voice tells which numbers have to report for testing the next day. They use this for people who are testing like everyother day or 3-4 times a week. The thing is being that it takes 7-10 days to get your results that by the time you get a few dirties actually showing up you have 5 or more still in the pipe line so when you go to court it comes back that you have like 10 dirty test.

The bottom line is if your on parole or probation & your using, your going back to jail or prison.