A drug conviction can have serious and long-lasting consequences for you and your family. While you might expect to face some consequences if you knew you were breaking the law, you certainly should not have to face the consequences if you did not break the law.
Yet many people are punished when they did nothing wrong. They are wrongly convicted on drug charges because the field test kit the authority used said there were drugs present when there were not.
These tests are known to be inaccurate
Field testing kits are typically used when police officers or prison guards confiscate a substance from a person. However much the person pleads that the substance is not drugs, the officers may not believe them. And if the test says it is drugs, then the officer or guard may well believe it is.
There is ample evidence that many field test kits are not always scientifically accurate. Tests on a range of things from chocolate to household cleaners have all produced false positives. However, some authorities continue to use them, regardless of the damage false readings can do to people’s lives.
Most people never get to trial
You might wonder how these wrongful convictions occur. Surely innocent people would just challenge the fault readings in a court trial They could, but most people don’t, because most people do not go to trial. “Almost 98 percent of federal convictions and 95 percent of state convictions” are settled by plea deal. People get scared and think this is their best option, even when they know they did nothing wrong.
If you face charges after a positive drug test, it is always worth exploring your defense options. With accurate legal information, you can make the best choices for your future.
