Drug Testing and TANF
(Temporary Assistance for Needy Families)
(A More in Depth Study)
The reason I chose the subject originally
is because I am truly against drugs and what they are doing to people, and the
fact that they are controlling our nation, and our debt. Recipients of TANF are
often using the cash benefits improperly, and child services has detected many
of the adults to be on illegal substances and abusing them. Through much
research, the government decided to bring in urine testing to those receiving
benefits to see if they could resolve the issue.
After doing said research, I learned much
more then I had ever intended and my eyes were opened to things I had never
even thought of. I learned so much that if I were like the scales of justice,
my scale would look level, as if I were undecided. The reason being, because
now that I have learned about this issue thoroughly, I have found that people
need to be more aware.
Because of this, I decided this would make
for an informative rhetorical analysis and argumentative study. With everything
that I was learning, there were a lot of ways to look at everything. I think
that the idea behind the drug testing TANF is a good one, but the turnout is
not like they had expected it to be. There were and are a lot of pros and cons
with the whole situation, but in the end, the cost effectiveness was more than
they had planned on initially thought or even intended to spend. Therefore,
rhetorically speaking, I think the debt was too costly for the tax payers and
the nation. But again, the idea was good, but the plan was not thoroughly thought
out, and needs more work put into it.
Yes, I feel that drug testing is needed
still for job applicants, to find out if the employee you are hiring is on or
even doing drugs. I also like the fact that there are random drug tests for
those who have CDL’s to make sure that they are still driving clean. After all
they are driving behind the wheel of an on average eighty-thousand-pound
vehicle that could instantly kill anyone it wrecks into, including the driver.
I also like the fact that when the CDL driver wrecks, he is instantly tested
for drugs as well, as it should be. I also agree with testing those that
receive the Medicaid benefits, because that is for medication, we should know
if you are being prescribed the medication, if in fact you are the one taking
it, rather than selling it on the streets. We should also know if you are well,
and/or in need of further need of medical care, including that of rehab.
Regarding those who receive TANF, like I keep mentioning, I see the idea and
plan behind the whole thing. But as a person who takes Criminal Justice, I also
see how one can claim this is a violation of the fourth amendment to illegal
search and seizure. On the same token, if you dare ask for money from the tax
payers to pay and pave your way, you should be willing to make sacrifices, but
not of your rights. Your constitutional rights are earned and you never lose
those until you become a criminal. Now if you are labeled a criminal, and have
prior drug charges, by all means, drug test you. But honestly, I think and feel
your probation officer should already be doing that, which I also believe in.
So the moral to my side of this? I believe the amendment make my stance clear.
I stand by it. I am not a criminal, and until you can prove otherwise, I will
use and stand by my amendments as I feel we as should.
Within this rhetorical analysis, we will
learn the ins and outs of drug testing within the needy families receiving
assistance from the government. The main
thing I wanted to find out for myself, was the effectiveness of this issue.
I went online and found this site, and it
was the first thing that I came across that grasped my interest. This site had
researched the issue only a year ago exactly.
Said article was researched and written by
two authors: Bryce Covert and Josh Israel. These gentlemen happen to be
employed by www.thinkprogess.org
. This organization hires only qualified personnel who have qualified degrees
to research and answer the questions thoroughly. The site itself is owned and
ran by the Center for American Progress Action Fund. The site is a well funded
and protected site, that people look up to and respect, as well as expect
correct facts and figures from.
The writers point out how monies are being
spent on the drug tests for TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) and
how they are deeming it cost ineffective. According to said writers, millions
of dollars are being spent on testing, when it can be spent in other ways. The
writers also provide you, as the reader with the statistics from each of the
states doing the testing at the time. This is giving you the realization of
facts and figures and where to look.
There were people that came back with
positive results to the drug testing. Now there weren’t as many as they had
anticipated. However, the goal was to clean up the population of drug abusers,
and put them into rehab, and hopefully even slow down any welfare fraud. The
question then would be, if it has helped or hindered the problem.
On the above mentioned site, I learned that
Oklahoma had two hundred, ninety-seven people arriving with a positive drug
test end result, they ranked the highest at that time frame. Three thousand
three hundred forty-two applicants, and two hundred and ninety-seven people had
tested positive. But what you didn’t learn, is what Oklahoma decided to do with
the results that they found.
Researching the drug testing itself, and
the people doing the testing, made me wonder about conflicts. And then I
couldn’t help but wonder if people make mistakes, or even cheat the system.
After-all, there are criminals everywhere.
I then found this site: https://www.socialworkers.org/pressroom/features/issue/children.asp
Written and researched by
the National Association of Social Workers, which is a genuine site and the
case workers are genuinely real. This site informs you about the drug abusers
and the families being affected.
Within this article, there are
publications to help you if you need assistance, and much more to offer the
readers. This I found to be quite useful, as well as informative.
The reason I decided to share this site,
is because I mentioned the fact that people and their families are falling
apart due to drug issues. It is a sad reality, everywhere. This is a negative
impact, and at many levels.
That is when I found this site: William R Whitehill; Helen M Binkley; Kenneth E Wright; and
several others. Strength and
Conditioning Journal (2009). Volume 31, Issue 6 The Drug Testing Process
http://search.proquest.com.southuniversity.libproxy.edmc.edu/docview/847395075?pqorigsite=mmon
I found this one at my School library, at South University.
Although said article explains prejudice
within drug testing toward athletes, it also proves, anyone can pay anyone to
change test results. For a job, for an application, for whatever the case may
be. Money seems to make many things go away, just as it can make things
reappear for an even higher price. As the slang saying goes: “Money talks and bullcrap walks.”
If a deeper look was taken throughout any
areas doing these tests, I am certain you will find errors, and some of them
are not even on purpose. This is because not all of these tests are one hundred
percent accurate. Mistakes are made, and not just by the test takers, but by
everything in general. Did you know that if you are on certain prescriptions,
they can make you pop positive as a drug user? Even when you tell the examiner
that you are taking said medication, some results vary. And not all people will
show a positive result, and some people may, results will vary.
All results are truly undetermined, and
they can be fought in a court system. If the people are able to spend the time
and money in fighting a battle, they can do so. The choice is of course theirs.
Should charges be files on anyone, everyone must definitely have their ducks in
a row, and a leg to stand on.
The above information I found, was
written by multiple authors, and I learned quite a lot. It was informative, and
educational as well. You could tell that a lot of research went into the
information found here.
I also found another informative book at
the School library: by: Röhrich, J; Becker, J; Kaufmann,
T; and several others. (2012). Forensic Science International, (2012)
Volume 215, Issue 1-3. Detection of a synthetic
drug 4-fluoroamphetamine (4-FA) in serum and urine, here is the link:
http://search.proquest.com.southuniversity.libproxy.edmc.edu/docview/920997363?pq-origsite=summon
here they inform you about the testing, and the effects. The main idea of this
information acquired is about urine testing individuals while DUI. Applying the
method, the 4-FA serum concentrations of the subjects were determined to be 350
ng/mL and 475 ng/mL, respectively. Given the pharmacological data of
amphetamine, 4-FA psychoactive effects are to be expected at these serum
levels. Both subjects exhibited sympathomimetic effects and
psycho-stimulant-like impairment accordingly. Proving the theory of DUI, and
the cause and effect theory to be effective.
While this did not have anything to do
with TANF, it did however provide me with the information regarding urine
testing of individuals, and the cause and effect theory. I plan to argue with
the cost and effectiveness. The Authors were quite relevant with their
information provided, and I could understand what I read, and what they were
trying to say. I found this article informative and useful in knowledge. The
fact that there were many authors and the fact that they were scientists proved
to be relevant in their investigations. This proves that they are able to do
proper research in labs and understand their finding and explain them to
individuals and write justifiable reports. On the same note, it also means
their sources are credible through research and findings as well as reports.
As you may have noticed, I still have not
made mention of the costs. This is where we return back to: http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2015/02/26/3624447/tanf-drug-testing-states/
and where we return the state of Oklahoma. From the above mentioned article I
quote regarding the controversy: “A
spokesman for the Oklahoma Department of Human Services told ThinkProgress
that, not counting personnel and system costs, the state paid $185,219 for the
2013-2014 year for this program, which came out of its TANF and Medicaid
budgets.”Cite:State Section Oklahoma “ThinkProgress.org./economy” article
on tanf-drug-testing-states 2015 February’-Covert & Israel
As you can well enough see, that is a lot
of money being spent out of the tax payers monies to find out the end result of
those who are or are not doing drugs, and applying for welfare.
Now allow us to bring Florida into the
picture, after-all, it is the state in which I live. And Florida does have a
major issue with problems with people on drugs, along with a lot of people who
receive assistance.
In the article I mentioned above, in 2011
Florida passed a law, and as the article states, here in Florida, residents pay
for their own testing. The article proceeds to inform us: “108 out of 4,086 applicants tested positive at a cost of $118,140.
Applicants who tested negative would be reimbursed by the state.” However, shortly thereafter, the Court
decided it was a violation of the fourth amendment right-the “Unreasonable
search and seizures.” clause in 2013 — a ruling upheld in December by the U.S.
Circuit Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit. The three-judge panel noted that
Florida had “not demonstrated a more prevalent, unique or different drug
problem among TANF applicants than in the general population.” Cite: Paragraph
‘The Future’ “ThinkProgress.org/economy”
article on tanf-drug-testing-states 2015 February’-Covert & Israel
Many recipients didn’t complain about
paying for their testing first, especially since they were being warned in
advance of the test date, and reimbursed if they passed the test.
Being since I had to do this research, and
rhetorical study, I decided to take a step back and look into this from the
perspective as a recipient. So here is what I decided to do:
I went to the local Welfare office, and
sat. (Cocoa, Florida) And I decided to speak to a few people, and get a few
honest answers, and share them as my own research and argumentative. I thought
this might help others, as well as myself to get a view of the inside. But what
struck me as odd, was that no one was afraid to be open and honest with me, the
outsider.
I ask a Mother to three, who was
applying, why she was applying, and even where or if there was a father. She
explained that she had three different fathers for each child. One died
overseas, and one was unemployed, and the most recent father was in drug rehab.
How original. I ask her if she was on drugs, or if she had ever been urine
tested by welfare, or any other agencies to receive help. She told me that she
is tested at every doctor appointment, that it is requirement to receive
Medicaid. I interrupted her and said I thought Florida stopped it, because of
the fourth amendment. She said, only for TANF. Not to receive free health care.
She said, and I quote with her permission, from Elizabeth Chase: “In order for us as recipients to receive
benefits we must comply, and keep ourselves in good health. If we pass positive
for drugs that are illegal more than three times, we are to agree to have
ourselves put into rehab. We sign a paper for this. And I have children I need
to take care of, so I need to be in my best shape. And so do my children. They
are what matters to me. And yes, I am one of the rare type of mothers that feel
this way.” She said proudly.
The woman next to her, agreed. “It’s the truth. Many of us are still on
drugs. I won’t accept the Medicaid benefits, because I know I use drugs. But
because Florida stopped the drug testing of us on food stamps I can still get
those.” She explained.
“I don’t know what the big deal is, they
give you enough warning, there is a cleanse to you can take to pass it.”
A man said, sitting there with his daughter.
After I left I made sure to write my notes
down in the car, and Ms. Chase came to the car to ask me what I was doing. I
explained. She asked me about going back to School and I gave her all of the
info about South University. She proceeded to ask me for my phone number, and
if I was available for tutoring. I explained I wasn’t any good at Math, period.
She chuckled, and gave m her phone number.
So in all reality, a positive result came
from my extracurricular activity, not just learning a little bit from the
inside look at things.
One thing people don’t consider, is that
drug issue can cause a lot of problems within the family unit. And when people
start doing drugs, there are secrets, money loss, even job losses. And when you
need to involved the government, things can get even worse. Especially when you
aren’t just lying to your family, you can now end up lying to the government as
well. A crime is still a crime, no matter how you look at it.
People end up losing custody of their
children, the children end up in foster care. Parents end up jail, or even
rehab. Families end up falling apart. All this, because of the wrong decision,
drugs-never the right choice.
Some people have been known to get so
impacted by the results, that they end up in counseling, some take it seriously
and even can’t handle the end result. And then there are people who are so
unable to handle everything, they try suicide, and some have been known to
succeed. Some have even been known to succeed on purpose, by taking their
current drug stash, and taking them all at one time. And what I managed to
learn, even homeless people are not innocent of being drug abusers!
I found this at the School library where I
learned about homeless people being drug abusers: by: North, Carol S; Eyrich-Garg, Karin
M; Pollio, David E; and more.
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric
Epidemiology, (2010). Volume 45, Issue 11 A progressive study of substance use
and housing stability in the homeless population. Here is the link:
This article showed me, that even homeless
people are involved in drugs, and drug abusers. And believe it or not, they
too, do in fact receive benefits from welfare, by way of P.O. Boxes, a friend
or family members address, and some shelters allow the homeless to use their
address for mail.
My eyes were opened, and shocked with what
I learned. Apparently drugs are not prejudice in who takes and uses and abuses
them.
And when the homeless people have felt
that they have had enough, since they have the drugs, if they want a simpler
out, there they have it. And if said homeless person has no family, here you
have a death of a homeless person, paid for by a tax payer.
Because of where I live, as sad as this
seems, I decided to interview a homeless man. His name-for real, is John. I ask
him if he does drugs, and he responded with, “Basically alcohol is my drug of choice. But if I can get someone to
give me a Percocet, I will gladly take it. I love the high it gives me.”
I ask him how he gets his beer and occasional
drugs, and he responded. “I was receiving
food stamps. I sold my card to the local grocer, until he was caught. The one
on Fiske and Peachtree. He would give me a limit of free beer. I mean, it
wasn’t free. I would have to get it each week, not all at once. To get the
Percocet’s, I would pan handle. And ask people, they would feel sorry for me.
Like you. Ya got a few bucks for answering these questions?”
I ask, him one more question as I handed
him a five dollar bill, “Were you charged
for giving your food stamp card to the store when they got caught?”
“No,
I never reapplied after that. I’m too scared to, because I know they will put
two and two together. They were videoing his store and everything. Now I do
more pan handling than ever, and do chores for people from time to time to earn
a few extra bucks. Believe it or not, I make more money than most, I won’t lie.
I have made up to five hundred dollars on one week-end alone. That’s why I do
it, sure I live in the woods, but sometimes I make enough to get a hotel when
the weather gets real bad. Than I pan handle there too while I’m there. I’m
serious, there are really good spots to get people to feel sorry for you.”
Ok, I remembered the case about the
local grocer getting arrested. His store was under new ownership now, and still
being watched. And this is not the first time I have heard about pan handlers
making a lot of money. I know quite a few. Sad to say, these cases are real.
Basically, the real question is, in the end,
the urine testing, and the costs, and the effectiveness are in question. Along
with the fourth amendment, deciding whether or not it is a violation of an
illegal search and seizure. While at the same time, the United States is
deciding to encourage the legalizing of marijuana. Families are failing, and
the government is failing them too.
While the idea is justifiable, the cost
effectiveness is not helping, but instead it is hindering the economy. And if
they would think about the way that they do things a little more effectively,
they should be able to do things.
Here are several of my suggestions:
1. Don’t
give the recipients an advance warning that they are being tested.
2. Make
the recipient pay for the test, no refunds whether they pass or fail.
3. All
who fail, should be retested within 24 hours to be certain it is a fail. If it
is a fail, they should be admitted into rehab.
4. I
think it could/should/would be a wise idea for people to make a campaign for
and about donations for the testing of individuals, but I think someone needs
to be in charge of it to be sure it is used specifically and properly.
These are just a few of my ideas, but I
don’t think anyone would listen to me. But if more people would take a closer
look at what is really happening to people receiving TANF and how they are
truly using their monies, and who all is using illegally taking and using
drugs, we might get somewhere. But until someone actually thinks that there is
a problem, nothing is honestly going to get resolved. And tax payers aren’t
always going to want to have their monies spent on welfare recipients, when
they feel it could be used to help them obtain jobs, rather than test them to
see if they are high. Everyone always has something to complain about, no one
ever honestly want to fix it.
I do have just one more question....wouldn't the wise thing to do be to quit using and doing drugs? :O
My references:
www.thinkprogress.org
official site
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2015/02/26/3624447/tanf-drug-testing-states/
Authors Covert & Israel February 2015 TANF Drug testing the states
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