Drug facilitated crimes (DFC) occur when an individual violates aspects of the law while under the influence of drugs. Examples of crimes can include robbery, sexual assault, money extortion or battery. Biological samples collected after drug facilitated sexual assault (DFSA) require comprehensive toxicology testing to determine the drug or drugs present. Unique factors and considerations include sample matrix, assay sensitivity and scope, and toxicologist interpretation.
Research
The CFSRE conducts research involving instances of drug facilitated crimes – the most common case type being those arising from drug facilitated sexual assault. In collaboration with partnering toxicology laboratories, data is compiled and consolidated to determine drug prevalence and implications. Additionally, analytical testing is applied for various drugs of interest, including alcohol, gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB), benzodiazepines, and other sedative substances. Understanding the impacts of drugs facilitated crimes requires 1) comprehensive analytical research that allows for discovery of all intoxicating substance(s) present, 2) comparative and quantitative data for case review, and 3) surveying of the landscape drugs or drug combinations detected among these scenarios over time.
Benefits
- Comprehensive toxicology testing on sample submitted from cases where drug facilitated crimes have occurred allows for a better understanding of circumstances and outcome.
- Drug facilitated sexual assault cases require comprehensive toxicology testing to determine the drugs or substances present in order for more accurate toxicology interpretation.
- Compiling results from drug facilitated crime cases allows for better recommended scopes of testing.
Applications
Results from research at the CFSRE have been used to determine appropriate scope of testing for cases from drug facilities crimes. This allows laboratories to assess the most commonly detected drugs and develop new methodologies for substance not currently in their testing regimes.
Resources
The CFSRE develops informative open-access resources to contribute to the scientific community, including scientific reports or publications and training or educational materials.
Publications and Presentations
Peer reviewed publications
Taís R Fiorentin, Barry K Logan. Toxicological findings in 1000 cases of suspected drug facilitated sexual assault in the United States. Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine. Volume 61, February 2019, Pages 56-64.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jflm.2018.11.006
Presentations
Taís R Fiorentin, Barry K Logan. Toxicology Findings in 1000 Alleged Drug-Facilitated Sexual Assault (DFSA) Cases Over a Two-Year Period (2015-2016) in the United States. Society of Forensic Toxicologists. 2018 Annual Meeting. Platform Presentation.
