Introduction
The adolescence stage is known to be a period where behaviors and conditions develop that affect the health of the individuals at the time and their adulthoods. Juvenile drug use remains a huge societal problem that needs to be addressed promptly and viable interventions developed. Several therapies and programs have been devised to ease the challenge but the current drug use statistics indicate the problem is far from over. This essay describes the problem of juvenile drug use and applies the relevant delinquency theory. Additionally, the interventions or programs to fix the issue will be highlighted.
Juvenile Drug Use
The challenge of juvenile drug use is critical as it is usually linked with delinquency. Researchers have found that adolescent offenders display high rates of substance abuse. The reverse observation has also been made – that is there is a direct link between drug abuse and repeated serious crimes (Dakof et al., 2016). The seriousness of juvenile drug use can only be appreciated when examined alongside delinquency. According to Belenko et al. (2017), over 70% of all arrested adolescents had previously abused drugs whereas 78% of them recently consumed alcohol or other drugs. Addressing the vice of drug abuse among the youth, therefore, goes a long way in fighting related crimes in society.
Besides the relationship between juvenile drug use and crime, other problems such as substance abuse disorders (SUDs). About 60% of the juvenile justice involving the youth is related to SUDs (Sanders et al., 2018). The juvenile justice system is obliged to monitor risk behaviors associated with SUDs, including sexual abuse. There is also a need for the system to understand the causative factors for juvenile drug use. Some studies have shown connections between factors such as low socioeconomic status, adolescent friendships (peer pressure), family violence, and coping with failures among others (Dervishi & Ibrahimi, 2018). Dealing with such environmental variables could go a long way in reducing the rate of substance abuse among the youth.
Delinquency Theories
Several theories have been put forward to explain juvenile drug use. According to Beaver et al. (2015), two of the theories explaining the issue are social learning theory and self-control theory. The social learning theory holds that all behaviors, including those regarded as anti-social (for example, drug use) are learned deeds. The learning can take place in the form of reinforcement where those actions are strengthened through rewards or avoidance of discomfort being most likely to persist. Juveniles could, therefore, be perceived to have learned drug abuse behaviors by watching others. Using tobacco and alcohol could be a means to reduce discomforts or to gain other perceived benefits.
Self-control theory, on the other hand, posits that analogous actions such as substance abuse are caused by criminal opportunity and variations in the level of self-esteem. Low levels of self-control, according to Beaver et al. (2015) are linked with a greater likelihood of anti-social conduct. Drug abuse in such situations could be a result of succumbing to some external drives. Criminal opportunity remains a constant and the most salient factor. The variabilities in delinquency are caused, therefore, by the varying levels of self-control.
Interventions
The problem of juvenile drug abuse can be reduced through proper interventions. The current literature has explored in detail interventions such as family therapies or the broader community-based interventions. School-based programs and policies have also been explored and found to positively contribute to a reduction in juvenile drug use. With the advances in technology, digital platforms are also increasingly becoming critical for community-based interventions that involve community leaders and other stakeholders campaigning against drug abuse (Das et al., 2016). Family therapies seek to identify the roots of the problems and to find lasting solutions. As expressed earlier on, many of the risk factors are external environmental issues within which the individuals live. Addressing such concerns and helping adolescents recover from addiction works to reduce the rates of drug use among the youth. Family therapy programs have shown success over the years and they continue to be the major interventions.
Other programs showing promise in the fight against juvenile drug abuse are the juvenile drug courts (JDCs). According to Dakof et al. (2016), the JDCs were developed to help those youths in the juvenile justice system overcome drug problems. The JDCs are designed to offer quality treatment to the patients and, similar to the family therapies, involve the family members to improve the treatment outcomes. One of the key objectives in the JDCs, it should be emphasized, is to reduce the rates of recidivism among drug-related offenders.
Conclusion
The problem of juvenile drug use has been described in this essay where a link to juvenile offending is made to illustrate the seriousness of the problem. Two delinquency theories, social learning and self-control theory, have been used to explain the problem. Lastly, a few interventions have been examined: family therapies and JDCs. The two interventions have shown significant levels of success over the years and they remain the most popular means of fixing the social challenge.
References
Beaver, K., Al-Ghamdi, M., Kobeisy, A., Alqurashi, F., Schwartz, J., Connolly, E., & Gajos, J. (2015). The effects of low self-control and delinquent peers on alcohol, tobacco, and drug use in a sample of Saudi Arabian youth. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 60(13), 1-19.
Belenko, S., Knight, D., Wasserman, G., Dennis, M., Wiley, T., Taxman, F., Oser, C., Dembo, R., Robdertson, A., & Sales, J. (2017). The juvenile justice behavioral health services cascade: A new framework for measuring unmet substance use treatment services needs among adolescent offenders. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 74, 80-91.
Dakof, G., Henderson, C., Rowe, C., Boustani, M., Greenbaum, P., Wang, W., Hawes, S., Linares, C., & Liddle, H. (2016). A randomized clinical trial of family therapy in juvenile drug court. Journal of Family Psychology, 29(2), 232-241.
Das, J., Salama, R., Arshad, A., Finkelstein, Y., & Bhutta, Z. (2016). Interventions for adolescent substance abuse: An overview of systematic reviews. The Journal of Adolescent Health, 59(4), S61-S75.
Dervishi, E., & Ibrahimi, S. (2018). Risk Factors Related to Juvenile Drug Use. Open Journal for Psychological Research, 2(2), 53-60.
Sanders, J., Hershberger, A., Kolp, H., Um, M., Aalsma, M., & Cyders, M. (2018). PTSD symptoms mediate the relationship between sexual abuse and substance use risk in juvenile justice-involved youth. Child Maltreatment, 23(3), 226-233.