The TCU Drug Screen II (TCUDS II) is a standardized 15-item screening tool that helps identify individuals with a history of heavy drug use or dependency. The instrument is widely used in adult criminal justice and correctional settings. Items on the TCUDS II represent key clinical and diagnostic criteria for substance abuse dependence as specified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV) and the NIMH Diagnostic Interview Schedule (NIMH DISC).

The first part of the scale includes questions related to drug and alcohol use problems and the second part addresses frequency of use and readiness for treatment. One potentially important feature of the scale is its ability to distinguish between criminal offenders with documented drug dependence and those who misuse drugs but are not dependent. This distinction is important for criminal justice officials who must make decisions about which offenders should be referred to treatment and the most appropriate types of treatment interventions for different offenders.

The TCUDS II takes approximately 5 minutes to complete and can be used either in an interview setting or self-administered by the offender. In order to promote reliable self-administration in criminal justice settings, clinical language was reworded to an eighth-grade reading level.

Notes: Source: Institute of Behavioral Research, Texas Christian University