The matrix

• Author: Nathan Baker
• Pages: 53-56

CHAPTER

4

The

Matrix

The

drug

category

matrix

is

at

the

centre

of

the

classification

system

in

the

Drug

Recognition

Evaluations.

This

matrix,

shown

in

Figure

5,

provides

a

method

of

classification,

based

on

symptoms

and

reactions,

to

test

to

determine

the

kind

of

drug

or

rather

the

drug

category

by

which

a

person

is

impaired.

While

this

matrix

appears

straightforward,

it

is

often

any



thing

but.

This

is

due

to

the

fact

that

officers

are

to

consider

the

totality

of

circumstances

and

also

recognize

that

an

individual

may

be

affected

by

more

than

one

drug

along

with

pre-existing

medical

conditions.

Couple

with

this

the

fact

that,

depending

on

the

dosage

of

particular

drugs,

the

impact

on

a

particular

test

may

change.

Take,

as

an

example,

the

issue

of

cannabis.

Depending

on

the

dosage

and

tolerance

of

an

individual,

the

person

’

s

pupils

may

either

be

dilated

or

normal.

Discrimination

becomes

even

more

complicated

with

inhalants

in

body

temperature

where

the

temperature

may

rise,

fall,

or

remain

normal.

In

essence,

regardless

of

the

result,

it

may

be

counted

on

as

an

indicator.

Explanation

as

to

why

particular

results

of

the

test

do

not

conform

with

the

matrix

is

an

area

ripe

for

cross-examination.

DRE

officers

are

trained

to

give

a

response

and

in

testing

any

particular

individual,

the

results

may

vary.

The

standard

response

will

typically

indicate

something

such

as,

“

1

took

into

account

the

totality

of

my

training

and

testing.

”

This

highlights

the

subjective

nature

of

DRE

testing,

which

was

confirmed

in

Bingley.

Quite

often,

the

results

of

the

testing

do

not

match

any

category

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