What Is TASC?

(The content below was transcribed from an interview done with Acacia Law. We think you'll find it much easier
and more enjoyable to read this way.)

Interviewer: And you talked about, you mentioned TASC, what is that, that's an acronym for something, right? What is TASC?

Acacia Law: Yeah, TASC is, the specific language I can't recall from the statute, but TASC is, essentially... there's kind of two programs that are common. One's called TASC, one is called SAGE [Programs Offered for Deferred Prosecution of Drug or Minors in Consumption of Alcohol]. No on uses their formal names as far as I know, even in the court documents, they just identify them as T-A-S-C and S-A-G-E. But what happens is that under those programs, people can get out from underneath, not only the felony charge, but the criminal charge altogether [even a misdemeanor], depending on the circumstances. And, as a first time offender, it's where you're trying to qualify people.

But, as I said, what the program usually involves depends on what type of drug is involved, first of all. If it's marijuana or pot, something to that effect, you can expect to have 6 to 12 months worth of classes, random drug tests, and you have to, basically, comply with the whole program, which can cost you a few thousand bucks, if it's a dangerous drug. And, basically, you have to complete the whole program.

Then the State will submit a Motion to the Court advising that the person's completed the program; then the court will dismiss the case. Okay? Now, SAGE [Minors in Consumption of Alcohol] operates the same way. Again, these are programs that are used as opposed to having the person convicted of a crime. But the way the programs operate is that, essentially, the person is going to receive drug counseling, classes which they have to pay for, and, in addition to that, they're going to receive random drug tests. They usually, what it usually is called- is they call in for "colors." You call in each day and if you're color comes up, you have to go down and give a urinalysis or a blood test, or whatever it is that you're directed to do; and when it comes to the other drugs, besides marijuana, the programs are more extensive, the counseling is more extensive. The reason being is that the, what are considered the dangerous drugs like heroin, crystal methamphetamine, any of the serious opiates or narcotics,- morphine,- anything like that; those types of programs are much more extensive and those can run you, instead of maybe $1,000 or $2,000, $4000, depending on the nature and level of treatment required in order to be considered to have passed successfully the program.

Interviewer: So on TASC, you're calling into their number, I mean, into their phone line and they name a color, like, "orange", so you'll call and they'll, this week we're doing "purple" then and next week, oh, it's "orange", you have to go in, pay money and take a drug test on a regular basis.

Acacia Law: Yes. Yes, you do. Yes. In fact, I think you call in everyday, actually, and see if your color comes up.

Interviewer: Really?

Acacia Law: Yes. You're assigned a color, you call in everyday or several times a week and it'll simply tell you the color. If it's not your color, you hang up the phone. If it is your color then I think you have uh,- you don't have very long- but you've got to go down and submit to a test. And it's random. And it's designed to be random so that no one can a) guess when they might be tested so that they can try to do something in order to affect the test and secondly, it's just a question of statics. You use a, basically, a probabilities system is what they're doing, in order to make it sufficiently random that they'll get a reasonable assessment as to whether the person is in compliance throughout the whole period.

Interviewer: So what... I mean, I'm sure there's people that try to, well, first of all, what if you don't have a car or access to a car, like, how do get the test? Do they care? You got to get there or it's too bad?

Acacia Law: Yes. They have absolutely no interest and will not participate or assist you any way to get there. It's the obligation of the person who's in the program, the first-time offender, rather. It is their obligation to get there. If they don't have a valid excuse, it's going to be noted. If they fail a test, that's going to be noted. Failing one test won't necessarily get you kicked out of the program, but what they're looking for is a traceable pattern. If you continually fail the test then you, obviously, are continuing to use the substance and you're going to fail out of TASC. And then the original charges are going to be reinstated.

Interviewer: Yeah, I think they call it, like, testing coming up dirty or something.

Acacia Law: Yes. A lot times you hear the term 'Dirty UA." What that means is that they have a urinalysis, a urinalysis that comes up positive for some sort of controlled substance. And what I mean, when I say controlled substances, I mean substances that are considered regulated by the state or the federal government, which an individual is either not supposed to take or introduce into their system- either without a doctor's written order or some substances under no circumstances can you utilize them, PCP being one of them.