Argument Against Welfare Testing

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Register to read the introduction… In The University Of Pennsylvania Journal Of Constitutional Law, Celia Goetzl agrees: “Such policies stereotype, stigmatize, and criminalize the poor without cause” (2013, p.1541). Studies support the assertion that applicants for welfare are no more likely to have substance abuse issues than are the general public. Moreover, problems that have arisen with drug testing results due to faulty testing and results. According to Pollack, et al, “Suspicionless, population-based chemical testing of welfare recipients will detect some “true positives” who are drug-dependent, a greater number of “accidental positives” with complex psychological problems, and a larger group of “false positives” who have no apparent psychiatric (including drug-related) disorder” (2002, p. 30). In this study conducted over two a year span, “the categories of “false positives,” and “accidental positives” each outnumbered the “true positives”” (Pollack, Danziger, Jayakody, Seefeldt, 2002). Opponents of the drug testing law believe it to be exceedingly offensive. Furthermore, given a chance of a false or accidental positive test result, deserving applicants may be disqualified from receiving …show more content…
University of Pennsylvania Journal of Constitutional Law. (Vol. 15, Is. 5, pp. 1539-1559) Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com.southuniversity.libproxy.edmc.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=6b36aece-4bd5-4961-b371-ca7f92032795%40sessionmgr110&vid=2&hid=125

Martin, D. (2012, March 18). Drug testing welfare applicants nets little. USA Today News. Retrieved from http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/story/2012-03-18/drug-testing-welfare-applicants/53620604/1 Pollack, H., Danziger, S., Jayakody, R., Seefeldt, K. (2002, January –February). Drug Testing
Welfare Recipients-False Positives, False Negatives, Unanticipated Opportunities. Women’s Health Issues, Vol. 12(1), pp. 23-31, Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1049-3867(01)00139-6

Shaberg, A. (2012, April 1). State Drug Testing Requirements for Welfare Recipients: Are
Missouri and Florida’s New Laws Constitutional? Missouri Law Review, Spring2012, Vol. 77 Issue 2, p567-589. 23p. Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com.southuniversity.libproxy.edmc.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=aef9f6f7-734d-4a6c-adae-2b97736ecc93%40sessionmgr111&vid=2&hid=127
US Welfare System – Help for US Citizens. (2014). Welfare Information. Retrieved
from

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