Juvenile Drug Use - Research Paper Example

?Juvenile drug use “Nationwide, 47.2% had used marijuana during their lifetime; One fourth (26.7 had used marijuana more than once. 14.6% of students had sniffed glue, breathed the contents of aerosol spray cans, or inhaled any paints or spray to get high during their lifetime"; and "30.2% of students had been offered, sold, or given any illegal drug on school property" Centers for Disease Control, 2012 Introduction: Substance abuse among the youth is one of the most critical health issues encountered during recent times. The issue is highly critical as well as challenging due to the fact that drug abuse and delinquency are highly inter-related. There is substantial research which state that juvenile drug use causes persistent, chronic and aggressive delinquency, with long-term repercussions on the individual’s health (VanderWaal et al., 2001). Research suggests that the most common factors that emphasis the relationship between drug abuse and delinquency include – a troubled childhood; inconsistent relationships with one’s family; negative experiences in school and problems with one’s peers; history of physical or sexual abuse etc., (Dickinson & Crowe, 1997). This paper on Juvenile Drug Use, aims to discuss various key issues related to drug abuse by juveniles in the U.S., including statistics on the various types of drugs used; a comprehensive discussion on the relationship, if any, between drug abuse and delinquency; and the effective means of combating drug abuse among delinquents. Substance abuse and juvenile delinquency: Research overview: There have been extensive studies over the years, which indicate a strong relationship between drug abuse by juveniles and serious delinquency. Some such studies conducted in this regard, which included data on youth in juvenile courts, indicated that a significant proportion of adolescents tried in courts, have had a recent history of illegal substance abuse. Furthermore, the seriousness of the charges filed against the juveniles was found to be directly related to the high use of drugs (Huizinga and Jakob-Chien, 1998; Teplin et al., 2002; Wilson et al., 2001). Similar observations were made by other researchers studying the behavior of delinquent juveniles who were reported for serious offences (Johnston, O’Malley, and Bachman, 2006; Ford, 2005). The fact that there does exist a strong and positive relationship between drug abuse and delinquency among juveniles has been clearly established by the extensive research conducted over the years. However, there is widespread debate among the researchers and scholars regarding the reverse, i.e. impact of delinquency on substance abuse. Some researchers have stated that aggression and other behavioral problems among individuals at a young age is one of the key indicators of substance abuse during adolescence. This hypothesis has been substantiated by empirical research which support the fact that children who have had behavioral issues at a very young age, are far more likely to indulge in substance abuse during youth (Wiesner, Kim, and Capaldi, 2005; Henry, Tolan, and Gorman-Smith, 2001). Furthermore, studies have also indicated that individuals with persistent criminal behavior are known to have a history of substance abuse (Ford, 2005; French et al., 2000; Loeber and Farrington, 2000). The use of advanced statistical methods developed in recent times, have afforded the researchers an opportunity to examine this causal relationship between the two variables (Nagin, 2005). The studies conducted by applying this new statistical method have indicated that the relationship between criminal behavior and substance abuse among juveniles is consistent and interdependent, suggesting a reciprocal relationship between each other (Sullivan and Hamilton, 2007). It is argued by some researchers that substance abuse by juveniles is not and cannot be regarded as responsible for delinquent behavior. It is however, admissible that substance abuse may contribute to failure of judgment on the part of the adolescents, and significantly increases the risk of involvement in criminal behavior, but the fact that several other factors may be responsible for such activities, cannot be completely ignored. Others have argued that substance abuse plays a key role in involvement of youth in criminal activities, since consumption of drugs tends to lower one's inhibitions, and the addiction of the same highly increases the risk of their involvement in criminal behavior in order to support their habit of drug use (White et al., 2002; Goldstein, 1985). No common consensus has been arrived at, so far, by researchers, and the debates concerning the same are ongoing, with critics and advocates arguing over the sequential and reciprocal relationship between the two. It is however, apparent that delinquency and substance abuse among juveniles do go hand in hand and are inseparable in nature. It has been observed through studies, that adolescents, who suffer from high level of stress or depression due to personal reasons, are highly likely to indulge in consumption of drugs, as a coping mechanism. However, their involvement in criminal behavior due to substance abuse, is a highly complex issue, since the relationship between the two is dependent on several other factors as well (Hersh & Hussong, 2009). Effective means of combating youth drug abuse: The 21st century has witnessed a series of medical advances over the years, particularly in the field of prevention and treatment of drug addicts. It has also significantly contributed to our understanding of the gravity of the issue and the various ways and means available to prevent and cure the individuals suffering from substance abuse. There has been an emphasis on the significance of preventive measures as is apparent from the various preventive strategies implemented across the United States in accordance with the guidelines issued by policy makers. According to the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) there are six fundamental approaches that can be implemented to combat the issue of drug abuse among juveniles (U.S. Department of Justice, 2000). These include information dissemination; prevention education; alternative approaches; problem identification; community based approaches; and environmental measures. Information dissemination: refers to the use of strategies to increase awareness regarding the issue of drug abuse and its negative impact on the youth and the society as a whole. Prevention education: refers to the use of teaching aids, to impart knowledge, and educate people regarding their health and well-being, and teach them various ways of avoiding and preventing substance abuse. Alternative approaches: refers to the use of a participatory approach which seeks youth involvement in activities aimed at drug prevention. Problem identification: refers to the use of referral methods used to guide adolescents and youths with substance abuse problems, and suggesting them appropriate and effective methods to overcome the same Community-based process: refers to the use of community resources in preventing substance abuse. This includes training the community members and local agencies to treat and prevent drug abuse among its youth. Environmental approaches: refers to the application of policies aimed at promoting risk factors involved in drug abuse, and helping the communities in framing appropriate laws and legal policies to prevent drug abuse among individuals, and particularly among adolescents and youth. References: Dickinson, T., and Crowe, A. (1997). “Capacity building for juvenile substance abuse treatment.” Juvenile Justice Bulletin; December 1997. Ford, J.A. (2005). Substance use, the social bond, and delinquency. Sociological Inquiry 75:109–128. French, M.T., McGeary, K.A., Chitwood, D.D., McCoy, C.B., Incanardi, J.A., and McBride, D. (2000). Chronic drug use and crime. Substance Abuse 21:95–109. Goldstein, P. (1985). The drugs-violence nexus: A tripartite conceptual framework. Journal of Drug Issues 15:493–506. Henry, D., Tolan, P., and Gorman-Smith, D. (2001). Longitudinal family and peer group effects on violence and nonviolent delinquency. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology 30:172–186. Hersh, M.A., and Hussong, A. (2009). The association between observed parental emotion socialization and adolescent self-medication. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology 37:493–506. Huizinga, D., and Jakob-Chien, C. (1998). Contemporaneous co-occurrence of serious and violent juvenile offending and other problem behaviors. In Serious and Violent Juvenile Offenders: Risk Factors and Successful Interventions, edited by R. Loeber and D.P. Farrington. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Johnston, L.D., O’Malley, P.M., and Bachman, J.G. (2006). Monitoring the Future National Results on Adolescent Drug Use: Overview of Key Findings, 2005. Bethesda, MD: National Institute on Drug Abuse. NIH Publication No. 06–5882. Loeber, R., and Farrington, D.P. (2000). Young children who commit crime: Epidemiology, developmental origins, risk factors, early interventions, and policy implications. Developmental Psychopathology 12:737–762. Nagin, D.S. (2005). Group-Based Modeling of Development. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Sullivan, C.J., and Hamilton, Z.K. (2007). Exploring careers in deviance: A joint trajectory analysis of criminal behavior and substance use in an offender population. Deviant Behavior 28:497–523. Teplin, L.A., Abram, K.M., McClelland, G.M., Dulcan, M.K., and Mericle, A.A. (2002). Psychiatric disorders in youth in juvenile detention. Archives of General Psychiatry 59:1133–1143. VanderWaal, C.J., McBride, D.C., Terry-McElrath, Y.M., and VanBuren, H. (2001). Breaking the Juvenile Drug-Crime Cycle: A Guide for Practitioners and Policymakers. NCJ186156. U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs; May 2001. White, H.R., Tice, P.C., Loeber, R., and Stouthamer-Loeber, M. (2002). Illegal acts committed by adolescents under the influence of alcohol and drugs. Journal of Research on Crime and Delinquency 39(2):131–152. Wiesner, M., Kim, H.K., and Capaldi, D.M. (2005). Developmental trajectories of offending: Validation and prediction to young adult alcohol use, drug use, and depressive symptoms. Development and Psychopathology 17:251–270. Wilson, J.J., Rojas, N., Haapanen, R., Duxbury, E., and Steiner, H. (2001). Substance abuse and criminal recidivism: A prospective study of adolescents. Child Psychiatry and Human Development 31:297–312. Adolescent Substance Abuse (2012). Drug and Alcohol Statistics [Online] Available at:http://www.adolescent-substance-abuse.com/statistics-drug-abuse.html [Accessed: May 17, 2012] U.S. Department of Justice (2000). Promising strategies to reduce substance abuse [Online] Available at: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/docs/psrsa.pdf [Accessed: May 16, 2012] Read More