ABSTRACT
Forensic laboratories analyze materials seized during investigations to determine if they contain controlled substances. Forensic toxicologists analyze biological fluids to determine the presence of drugs or metabolites. The most serious misconduct case involved Annie Dookhan, a drug chemist with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health from 2003 until 2012. Law enforcement officials use field test kits to make presumptive findings concerning the presence of seized drugs during the course of an arrest. Field test kits have contributed to wrongful convictions in many jurisdictions. In Houston, Texas, over 100 individuals have been identified who were wrongfully convicted on the basis of field test kit errors. The Houston situation was unique only to the extent that so many convictions were vacated. Other jurisdictions have faced similar problems with the misuse of field drug tests. The state conducted an official review of the Forensic Sciences Laboratory and OCMED.
