FINAL DISCUSSION BOARD
Jean2979
Chapter11Lecture.pptxChapter 11
Drug Usage and Delinquency
Drug Abuse
What this class will NOT cover:
Your personal opinion on adult substance abuse and controlled substance usage
The technical definition of illicit drugs, alcohol and stimulants (the book summarizes these on pages 404-408.
The effects of any given drug on youth (the effects are the same from adults to children)
The obvious need for treatment for abusers. We will focus instead on delinquency and prevention.
Basic facts about usage
Illegal drug usage (non-marijuana) among youths peaked in 1980 (58% of youth ages 12-18 reported usage in a calendar year)
Illicit drug usage hit it’s lowest point in 1993 (18% of youth 12-18 reporting usage)
Between 1993 and 2001, usage rates doubled to 36%
Between 2001 and 2012, rates have remained relatively the same. There was a brief decrease in usage from 2001-2009, and a marked increase in the past four years.
Conclusion: Drug usage goes up when there is a Democrat in the White House…. LOL Just Kidding… sort of.
Yearly Usage Reports for 12-18 year olds (2003-2013)
Substance
Abuse Rate (10 yr rate)
Alcohol
Cigarettes
Class 1 Narcotics
Marijuana
Prescription Drugs
42% (Down 22%)
19% (Down 38%)
13% (Unchanged)
8% (Up 22%)
8% (Up 240%)
More on Statistics
7% of youth report heavy drinking
Heavy drinking is defined as 5 or more alcoholic beverages consumed on five or more day in a 30 day period.
9% of youth report binge drinking
Binge drinking is defined as 5 or more alcoholic beverages consumed on one to four days in a 20 day period.
Girls are more likely to abuse illegal prescription medication, while boys are more likely to abuse narcotics and marijuana.
Drug Abuse and Delinquency
82% of all juveniles who commit a major crime report alcohol use in the past 30 days.
34% of all juveniles suspended from school report alcohol use in the past 30 days
92% of all juveniles who commit a major crime report marijuana use in the past 30 days
51% of all juveniles who are suspended from school report marijuana use in the past 30 days
48% of all juveniles who have been arrested for a crime, have sold drugs at least once in their life.
While not a correlation to adult usage, marijuana usage among juveniles is the single greatest predictor of delinquent behavior.
Effect of Usage
Does usage cause delinquency? As with gang affiliation, there are three theories:
Drug and Alcohol usage cause delinquency
Delinquency leads to drug and alcohol abuse
Drug / Alcohol abuse and delinquency are caused by the same underlying factors and social/psychological problems.
Abuse Pathways
While there are no definitive guidelines to predict juvenile substance abuse, there are some concepts that have universal acceptance:
Gateway substances such as alcohol and marijuana lead to greater potential of abuse
Juveniles who deal in illegal substances generally become victims of their own business
Dealing in drugs as a juvenile is generally not profitable, when compared to other venues. The access to substances for personal use is more likely the lure, than pure profit.
Realities of Crime
May juveniles are led to believe that dealing in narcotics is lucrative. Multiple DEA and University studies into actual profit from dealing and gang banging are startling:
Average actual hourly income of a juvenile street dealer: Year 1 - $2.50 / Year 4 - $7.10
Average actual hourly income of a member of a major gang: Year 1 - $5.90 / Year 4 - $11.10
Average actual hourly income of a Gang/Set leader: Year 1 - $32.50 / Year 4 - $97.20
Theories on Initial Usage
Everyone agrees that a juvenile that is addicted to a substance is at high risk for delinquency. The more interesting question is “WHY” does a child abuse a substance in the first place? There are SEVEN competing theories as to why juveniles will take their first hit/drink/get high.
Social Disorganization
This theory works from the theory that substance abuse is a natural happenstance of neighborhoods and communities where there are high degrees of disorganization, poverty, hopelessness and lack of continuity.
Evaluations of this theory have been mixed. While there is certainly a correlation between poverty and crime, abuse has been shown across all socio-economic classes.
Studies of communities in disorganization have shown greater substance abuse, even outside of urban areas. The focus on many studies has been abuse in rural areas and Indian Reservations.
Peer Pressure
Peer Pressure is based on the social bond theory
Studies have shown that individuals NOT suffering from mental illness rarely abuse substances, unless there is a social influence, and parental influence is week.
Association with drug abusers, will increase an individual’s likelihood of initial usage
Shared feelings of intimacy among users is seen as a leading factor in long term usage
Family Factors
We have talked at length about the effect of a criminal parental influence on a child. What about children exposed to parental self-medication?
Children learn coping mechanisms from parents, more than any other influence in their lives.
Children in homes where substances are abused are given the moral affirmation of usage in coping, regardless of any rules set forth my the parent.
Poor family life can also lead a child to mental illness. Children may attempt to use an illicit substance to self-medicate from family problems as well.
Genetics
Genetics holds that certain types of psychologically dependent behaviors, as well as predispositions to abuse of certain substances is genetic in nature.
Traits of children who are likely to develop substance abuse problems can be observed as young as 6 years of age, independent of peer influences.
Identical Twins have shown a rate of shared substance abuse dependence at twice the rate of fraternal twins.
Children of adopted alcoholic parents, adopted by non-alcoholic parents, show a rate of alcohol addiction at 6 times the national average.
Problem Behavior Syndrome
This theory seeks to work backwards, looking at common traits among children that abuse substances. More specifically, the focus is on pre-abuse behavior.
Youth that decide to use drugs are traditionally maladjusted, emotionally distressed and have many social problems.
The correlation is that youth who embrace a deviant lifestyle, assume other deviant behaviors to justify their alienation.
Yes, this is all about the Labeling Theory!
Rational Choice
This theory holds that substance abuse is a rational choice. Children chose to abuse a substance because the benefit is seen as outweighing the harm. Why would a person WANT to abuse a substance?
Social Acceptance
Improve Creativity
Relax
Enjoy the high
Increase Sexual Stimulation (Ecstacy)
How to Combat Youth Abuse
There are many strategies employed to combat drug usage among youth and adults. You are probably familiar with many of these:
1) Source Control – This method focuses on eliminating the individuals trafficing in substances. Local users and pushers are seen as irrelevant. Removing the supply lines and large scale distributers is seen as the best way to combat accessibility.
More Strategies
Border Control – As it reads, this approach works from the premise that most illegal substances are imported form abroad. Securing reduces the importation of drugs.
Dealer Targeting – This approach holds that while there will always be cartels and users, products cannot move without the “middle-man”. Law enforcement efforts are focused on discouraging the dealer.
More Strategies
Education – This strategy focuses on informing a youth of the negative effect of abuse. This theory is a by-product of the Rational Choice Theory. If a child can be educated to see that the harm of usage outweighs the perceived benefit, a child will chose not to use or abuse.
Community Strategies – As the name implies, this theory focuses on strengthening a child’s social bonds, in order to combat the lifestyle of use and abuse, on multiple levels.
Two more!
Drug Treatment – This approach holds that children will abuse substances, and addiction is an inevitability. Proper treatment after addiction is seen as key to social healing. There is little empirical data this approach works, as the recidivism rate of children and adults who abuse is very high. In fact, residential treatment programs are shown to have almost the same relapse rate of a person who did not receive treatment and simply quit on their own!
Last one…
Harm Reduction
This is the multi-prong approach. The focus of this strategy encompasses:
Education of the harm of usage and community safety programs (like needle exchange programs)
Usage of lesser controlled narcotics to reduce the effects of addiction (ie, methadone)
Special diversion programs in the criminal justice system for offenders (drug court and mandatory treatment programs)
Availability for treatment at little or no cost, for all who wish to seek help.
