Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Special Juvenile Offender Populations

Drug Use Among Adolescents

• Common Issues

  • Special offense youthful offenders often have a background of prior criminal or deviant behavior.

  • Drug use among high-risk youth is on the rise and is connected to juvenile delinquency.

• Defining Drug Abuse

  • Adolescent drug use is classified as abuse when it leads to dysfunction:

    • Inability to perform in school or maintain social/family relationships.

    • Engagement in dangerous or reckless behavior.

    • Endangerment of health.

  • Compulsive drug users often revolve their lives around acquiring and using drugs.

• Illicit Drug Use Statistics (2018)

  • Males (11.6%) showed higher rates of illicit drug use compared to females (6.9%).

  • Higher marijuana usage in males (9.6%) compared to females (5.0%).

  • Similar rates in males and females for stimulants and sedatives.

Demographic Characteristics of Users (Table 10–1)

• Total Users aged 12-17: 4,151 (in thousands)

  • Gender Breakdown:

    • Male: 2,035

    • Female: 2,116

  • Hispanic Origin and Race:

    • Not Hispanic or Latino: 3,090

      • White: 2,152

      • Black: 602

      • Asian: 124

      • Two or More Races: 167

    • Hispanic or Latino: 1,061

Trends in Drug Use (Table 10–2)

• Lifetime Marijuana Use for 8th to 12th Grades (1999–2018):

  • Percentages show a decrease from 36.4% in 1999 to 29.7% in 2018.

  • 30-day marijuana prevalence also decreased slightly from 16.9% in 1999 to 14.6% in 2018.

• Other Drugs' Usage Trends:

  • Lifetime cocaine use decreased from 7.2% in 1999 to 2.6% in 2018.

  • Heroin use also shows a decline.

Overall Student Drug Use (Table 10–3)

• 2018 Drug Use Statistics:

  • Past-Month Use:

    • Eighth Grade: 7.3%

    • Tenth Grade: 18.3%

    • Twelfth Grade: 24.0%

  • Annual Use:

    • Eighth Grade: 13.4%

    • Tenth Grade: 29.9%

    • Twelfth Grade: 36.9%

  • Lifetime Use:

    • Eighth Grade: 18.7%

    • Tenth Grade: 36.3%

    • Twelfth Grade: 47.8%

Drug Use and Delinquency

• Causation Debate

  • Uncertainty whether drug use causes delinquency or vice versa.

• User Classifications:

  • Experimental users: Try drugs and stop.

  • Controlled users: Continue without major life interference.

  • Addicted users: Lifestyle centered around drugs, engaging in crime.

Risk Factors for Delinquency and Drug Use

• Early Risk Factors:

  • Perinatal complications, minor physical anomalies, brain damage.

• Later Developmental Risk Factors:

  • Family factors: history of alcoholism, poor management, family conflict.

  • Other: Early antisocial dispositions, academic failures, living in economically deprived areas.

Drug-Trafficking Juveniles

• Categories of Drug-Trafficking Juveniles:

  • Occasional Sellers: Sell small amounts to support personal use; minimal delinquent acts.

  • Frequent Sellers: Sell drugs publicly, face higher arrest risks, typically independent of gangs.

  • Gang-Associated Sellers: In urban areas, often face severe legal consequences.

• Intervention and Solutions

  • Effective solutions include prevention programs, treatment interventions, strict enforcement, and harm reduction strategies.