Legal & Legislative Research

In this document, the Legislative Analysis and Public Policy Association (LAPPA) examines state-level statutes and regulations related to substance use during pregnancy and whether such use during pregnancy is considered child abuse or neglect in the jurisdiction. ...

In this survey, the Legislative Analysis and Public Policy Association (LAPPA) examines the state-level legislative response to drugged driving. In Section I, it presents the existing laws on driving under the influence of drugs in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Section II highlights a selection of additional resources for policymakers on drugged driving research and policy proposals in the United States. These resources include scientific studies, such as the latest research on the physiological effects of certain substances on drivers and the effectiveness of new testing methods and policy analysis, including recommendations from the U.S. Department of Justice on how to effectively detect and prosecute drugged driving. Together they illuminate the evolving landscape of drugged driving in the United States and the potential remedies that can keep Americans safe on the roads....

All across the U.S. jails are filled with people who need medical care and social services, many of whom cycle in and out of jail without ever receiving the help they need. One emerging model to combat this problem is deflection, which seeks to prevent individuals who have low to moderate criminogenic risk, but significant unmet social, economic, and health needs, from entering the criminal justice system. The goal of deflection programs is to lessen the burden on the criminal justice system by connecting those individuals—before they enter the criminal justice system—to treatment and social services to which they might not otherwise have access. This document is designed to: (1) provide a singular resource for each jurisdiction’s deflection laws; (2) allow for a comparison of these laws between jurisdictions; and (3) identify and highlight interesting provisions....

Currently, 35 states and the District of Columbia have enacted involuntary commitment laws for those suffering from alcoholism and/or substance use disorders (SUDs). In order to protect an individual’s civil rights, each state ensures that the committed person receives due process by providing the person the right to an attorney during the commitment process....