Is Substance Abuse the Cause of Juvenile Delinquency?

Adolescent Substance Abuse and Delinquent Behavior

The incidence of adolescent substance abuse is a significant public health issue. More and more, statistics show that substance abuse in the United States is not only widespread but growing. It has been reported that approximately 15% of all teenagers have experimented with drugs by the time they have graduated from high school (National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, and this survey data is most likely low, since this study does not include individuals who were not currently in school or children who are institutionalized. The use of drugs themselves are not only a health hazard because of the substances themselves, but because of the significant relationship between even casual drug use in teens and increased incidents of delinquency, premature sexual activity, psychological problems and even an increased risk of criminal behavior continuing into adulthood. Teens who use drugs are also more likely to suffer from behavioral disorders, such as attention deficit disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, depression and anxiety), although in the cases of these conditions, it is difficult to tell if the drugs caused the disorder, or if the child is attempting to self-medicate with the illicit drugs use. It is known, however, that the age of onset of drug use tends to have an effect on both substance use consequences and subsequent criminal activity, meaning that the earlier the child starts, the more likely they are to become involved in criminal behavior. Age of onset of use has declined over the last three decades, a worrisome finding since the younger the abuser, the more likely there is to be substantial substance abuse and criminal problems later in adolescence and into childhood. It has also been noted that it is more difficult for those teens that begin the abuse of drugs at a very young age to ever maintain a significant sobriety. The young offenders are also more likely to be involved in more significantly violent crime. Earlier onset of drug use appears to have a definite association with criminal activity and other deviant behaviors like aggression, threatening and isolation from family members and non-using peers.

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