NCJ Number
109514
Date Published
1987
Length
43 pages
Annotation
Based on public hearings and the staff's review of the social science literature, this report of the House Select Committee on Narcotics Abuse and Control examines the relationship between dropping out of school and drug abuse as well as other aspects of juvenile drug use and offers recommendations for addressing the problem.
Abstract
Although the findings reveal a clear correlation between drug use and dropping out of school, the information currently available is not sufficient to establish a causal relationship. Among other committee findings are that elementary and secondary schools have a serious drug problem; the dropout problem is particularly serious among minority students; urban youth gangs are involved in narcotics trafficking; there is significant drug abuse among pregnant juveniles; and some school officials and especially parents deny there is a problem. The committee also concludes that prevention and education are the key to demand reduction and that Federal cutbacks in funding have adversely affected State and local drug abuse prevention programming and law enforcement. The committee recommends that a grants program be created to increase drug education programs for youths out of school as well as in school, that the Department of Education expand drug education training for school officials, and that the Department of Education in conjunction with the National Institute on Drug Abuse identify successful drug abuse education models. 31 footnotes.