Youth Gambling Rates and Associated Behavioural Problems - Term Paper Example

Options Paper Introduction Adolescence is the time when a child develops into a matured, adult person. This period of life often exhibits comprehension of a child and demands of an adult. Psychosomatic problems may be encountered by the individual at this stage of life, along with several physical developments related to puberty. The cumulative effect of adolescent behaviour may be manifested into the bearing of a group of adolescents too. In the case of Birchip, a small town the Mallee area of Victoria, similar pattern of behaviour has noted among the young people aged 15-18 who gather in large number in weekends to engage in binge drinking. In absence of proper guidance and supervision, young people may develop various sorts of addictions and malpractices and indulge in substance abuse. Being inexperienced, this people in a community may take pleasure in creating problems for others which is prelude to several social and lifestyle issues (Alexander, J., 2002). Even, these young people may show criminal tendencies with the lapse of time if experienced and empathetic persons from the community do not come forward to help them. Harmful addictions and destructive practices may lead a young person to more problematic delinquent behaviour (Siegel, L. & Welsh, B. C., 2008). Background of the Problem In the small town of Birchip, Victoria, youngsters in the age group of 15-18 years gather in large numbers at weekends and take pleasure in binge drinking. The community is annoyed with the youngsters’ alcohol influenced activities. Issues like substance abuse, fighting and graffiti have taken serious form requiring police interventions from time to time. Community Information In accordance with the last census, the population of the community in this area is 994. The ratio of women to men in the community roughly stands at 1010:1000. Further the data furnished by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reveals that only 8.9% of the population falls in the age group of 15-24 and the median age of the population is at 45 years (the overall median age of the population of Australia is 37 years). Although the majority of the population is English speaking, there is a small immigrant population too from the countries like Iraq, Netherlands, RSA, etc. Nature of the Problem and Desired Solution The problem of Birchip can be explained on the basis of its demography to some extent. The young people complain that they feel isolated, annoyed, and upset, particularly during the weekends. Notably, the percentage of thew population aged 15-18 in the community is below 8.9 while the median age stands at 45 years. Therefore, a possible generation gap coupled with the problem of a pretty small youth population may explain the severity of binge drinking during the weekends. Definitely, more responsible and disciplined behaviour on the part of the youngsters is the desired solution of the problem. Moreover, understanding and attentive approach on the part of the elders in the community appears to be wanting. Analysis of the Situation and Relevant Development Works First of all, the gravity of the problem needs to bee understood. No doubt, the problem is already a serious one since the local people are time and again being compelled to call for police intervention due to the severity of the youngsters’ alcohol influenced conduct and activities. However, we must look into the academic situation of the youngsters in the community and its surroundings. The ABS reports reveal that the unemployment rates in the area are as low as 3.5 per cent. Hence the economy of the township is not actually deteriorating. In such a state of affair, the youngsters must get regular schooling and standard education. Dropping out from the schools due to economic and/or cultural reasons may lead a youngster to delinquency and criminal activities. In the case an adolescent is unable to develop an “academic way” of perceiving the world, she or he may feel disoriented and isolated (DeCapua, A., & Marshall, H. W., 2010). Therefore, the council’s community development committee must look into the schooling and education of the problematic youngsters. Educational establishments, particularly the schools, are the key institutions of building a sense of values among the young people. For example, modern education in Australia is catering with “multiculturalism as a core Australian value” (Tsoldis, G., 2008). In a nutshell, the relevant development work must begin at the school level through education. However, if the youngsters are not attending their classes at the school regularly and there are cases of school drop out with no obvious socio-economic cause, we have enough reasons to worry. In today’s world adolescent crime has taken a grave form due to dynamic social environment and increased consumerism (Butterwort, D. A. & Wikstrom, P. H., 2007 ). In the case a youngster is showing signs of developing delinquency, parents must become alert. The community too must come up in general to help the parents and the youngster concerned. Since juvenile delinquency is a direct threat to the future society, not only the parents but also the community must monitor “where they go, whom they are with, and what they do” in regards of the young people (Riley, D., 1987). The process of moral degeneration among the young people may culminate at grave criminal justice issues and bring about a wider degeneration in family values and community health (Media and Communications Unit, AIHW, 2010). Globalisation and unrestricted open markets have worsened the situation more. Richard Hill, in his journal article named “A Gloomy Vista? “Globalisation”, Juvenile Crime and Social Order: An Australian Perspective” has tried to draw our attention towards the interrelationship between youth delinquency and consumerism in the market economy. Demand of fast cash is increasing and “As more gambling venues open in Australia, youth gambling and problem behaviour has been identified” (Moore, S. M., & Ohtsuka, K., 1997). Since growth and development are totally different concepts, what can be the implication of social development under these circumstances? The case of Birchip, in fact, is not a rare or isolated case. And the local council must be advised to counter this problem through a multifaceted instrumentation. This multifaceted instrumentation would explore and orchestrate the various options that would explore and orchestrate the various options that would create and implement a constructive community development programme. Possible Practice Approaches Community development does not need to be explicitly defined as far as applied sociology is concerned. It is better to understand community development practically by implementing its principles. In her book “Developing Communities for the Future: Community Development in Australia”, Susan Kenny has enumerated the principles of community development as the following: 1. impartiality and objectivity 2. social justice 3. human rights and citizenship 4. self determination and enabling 5. aggregate action 6. liberal approach towards diversity 7. working for social transformation 8. involvement in discord and conflict (conflict resolution) 9. liberation coupled with participatory democracy 10. accessibility to the human services In the light of the above discussion, let’s examine the options for a set of possible practice approaches: I. Campaigning: Campaigns can be arranged among the young people, especially through the schools, to make them aware of the ill effects of alcohol, substance abuse, gambling, etc. The campaign would involve interactive contact programmes and distribution of handbills, leaflets, etc. II. Advocacy: Advocacy in favour of the young people before the local council and the associated policy makers is necessary. The administration must take a relatively contemplative approach in regards of the youngsters. III. Service or Business Development: The youngsters should be engaged in constructive activities like social/community services and/or self employment and business development. IV. Lobbying: The community development committee must further lobby the Commonwealth and State Governments for extended monetary help so that innovative social development programmes can be initiated. Moreover, the people of Birchip can be asked to raise money and form self help groups to benefit their youngsters collectively. V. Research and inquiry: The advisor to the community development committee would research on the available empirical data and literature in regards of the social problem concerned. Further, the advisor must interview the local people to enquire into the general difficulties that are being caused by the problematic behaviour of the teenagers. The teenagers too should be asked about their complaints, shortcomings and reasons for boredom so that the inquiry can picture the situation comprehensively. Contextually, it is important to mention that J. Ife and F. Tesoriero (2006) have put special stress on case studies so that empirical correlation between the various problems and theories may be possible. This is an ideal approach to enhance the scope of applied sociology on real life. VI. Community capacity building: According to Susan Kenny (1994), self determination, collective action, and empowerment are the key instruments of community capacity building. Participatory democracy and extended human services further enhance the capacity of the community and facilitates dialogue, diagnosis of the problems and practical solutions. The residents of the locality obtain the capacity to develop a better understanding of the issues. The youngsters would learn what is good and what is bad for them during the adolescence; hence they would be saved from being marginalised and spoiled. VII. Social policy development: Participatory democracy is a key practice to facilitate wider dialogue, which might culminate at the development of a constructive social policy. Meetings, discussions and campaigns can help aplenty in decision making and policy development. The social policy in the case of Birchip must be aimed at guiding the adolescent population towards a balanced lifestyle. The Preferred Practice Approach The advisor to the local council, policy makers and the committee for local community development must concentrate on the combined effect of the practice approaches discussed so far. In Birchip, 7.4% of the work force is engaged in personal and community services, while another 7.8% of the work force is engaged in local school education (ABS, 2007). Hence, there is a considerable number of individuals who can embark on creating a more democratic environment where the youngsters and the responsible residents of the community would sit together and discuss the problems openly. The social policy must aim at parallel socio-economic evolution as well in order to facilitate disentanglement of the youth potential through entrepreneurship, business development and community services. Special weekend classes must be arranged in the schools to conduct interactive sessions for the recreation of the youngsters. For example, group discussion, essay competition, debate, etc. can be organised to help the psychomotor development of the youngsters in general. The elders too, can be invited to join the adolescents in these sessions. Possible Barriers 1. The older population of the town may not take interest in interacting with the youngsters due to the sheer feeling of generation gap. The youngsters too, may show a similar attitude. 2. The adolescents may not turn up and participate in the campaigns, recreational programs, extra curricular activities and interactive sessions. 3. For some of the youths, it might be already too late. Many o the adolescents may have taken to drugs and other substance abuse and need to be rehabilitated. 4. More money and resources may be required to facilitate the rehabilitation process. 5. A general agreement on the nature and technique of practice approach may not be reached. The committee members and policy makers may suggest too many options to explore. Recommendation and Conclusion Participatory democracy can help the elders and the adolescents in the area to partake constructive dialogue. The community development committee must help the young people express themselves and tell that why do they feel isolated and indulge in irresponsible activities during the weekends. The responsible residents of the locality must interact with adolescent population in a friendly way. The educational institutions in the area can be utilised for the special weekend sessions and healthy recreational activities for the adolescents. Contextually, the police too must keep an eye on the developments and take appropriate actions further binge drinking, graffiti, substance abuse, etc. Youth gambling rates and associated behavioural problems are increasing in the contemporary world (Derevensky, J. L. et al, 2003). In such a state of affair, we must analyse the social indicators more intricately. We must understand that pleasure in life is rather related to the positive and negative effects of our practices. We actually seek satisfaction in life and indulge in the destructive processes mistakenly (Vella-Brodrick et al, 2009). Concrete steps must be taken so that the youngsters in our society may not feel isolated and begin to take pleasure in drugs, alcohol, gambling and unsafe sex. Reference List 2006 census Data : View by Location. (n.d.). 2006 Census QuickStats : 3483 (Postal Area). Available: http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/ABSNavigation/prenav/ViewData?action=402&documentproductno=POA3483&documenttype=Main%20Features&order=1&tabname=Summary&areacode=POA3483&collection=census&period=2006&producttype=QuickStats&javascript=true&textversion=fals Last accessed 21 May, 2010 Alexander, J. (n.d.). AAMFT - Adolescent Behavior Problems Consumer Update. Available: http://www.aamft.org/families/Consumer_Updates/AdolescentBehaviorProblems.asp Last accessed May 20, 2010 Butterworth, D. A., & Wikstrom, P. H. 2007. Adolescent Crime: Individual Differences and Lifestyles. Devon: Willan Publishing. DeCapua, A., & Marshall, H. W. 2010. Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education in US Classrooms. The Urban Review, 42, 81-173. Derevensky, J. L., Gupta, R., & Winters, K. 2003. Prevalence Rates of Youth Gambling Problems: Are the Current Rates Inflated?. Journal of Gambling Studies, 19, 405-425. Hill, R. 2004. A Gloomy Vista? "Globalisation'', Juvenile Crime and Social Order: An Australian Perspective . Crime, Law and Social Change, 33, 369-384. Ife, J., & Tesoriero, F. 2006. Community Development: Community Based Alternatives in an Age of Globalisation (3 ed.). Frenchs Forest, NSW: Pearson Education. Kenny, S. 1994. Developing Communities for the Future: Community Development in Australia. Scarborough: Nelson. Media and Communications Unit, AIHW. (n.d.). Understanding the juvenile justice system (AIHW Access online magazine, issue no. 27, March 2010). Available: http://www.aihw.gov.au/access/201003/feature/juvenile-justice.cfm Last accessed May 20, 2010, from Moore, S. M., & Ohtsuka, K. 1997. Gambling Activities of Young Australians: Developing a Model of Behaviour. Journal of Gambling Studies, 13, 207-236. Riley, D. 1987. Time and Crime: The Link Between Teenager Lifestyle and Delinquency. Journal of Quantitative Criminology, 3, 339-354. Siegel, L., & Welsh, B. C. 2008. Juvenile Delinquency: Theory, Practice, and Law. Scarborough: Cengage Learning. Tsolidis, G. 2008. The Education of Diverse Student Populations: A Global Perspective (Explorations of Educational Purpose) (1 ed.). New York: Springer. Vella-Brodrick, D. A., Park, N., & Peterson, C. 2009. Three Ways to be Happy: Pleasure, Engagement, and Meaning. Social Indicators Research, 90, 165-179. Read More