NCJ Number
135772
Date Published
1989
Length
34 pages
Annotation
After identifying factors that contribute to drug use by juveniles, this booklet suggests initial steps for organizing a community response to juvenile drug use.
Abstract
The discussion identifies cultural and community attitudes, norms, rules and standards, and environmental factors that encourage the use of alcohol and other drugs among youth. The booklet notes that there has been a downturn in drug use among youth since the late 1980's and advises that a communitywide response to drug use and attendant problems is required to capitalize on and promote this trend. It advises that the usual information/awareness programs designed to prevent or reduce the drug use of individual juveniles often fail because they are not supported by other programs, activities, and messages in the larger community. In its discussion of community responses to drug use, the booklet cautions that a communitywide effort against drugs and attendant problems depends upon a significant consensus among a cross-section of the community that a problem exists. This may be done through the use of statistics that document drug-related problems in the community. The principal startup recommendation is that a task force be formed composed of representatives from schools, parents, civic groups, religious organizations, health services, social services, police and courts, other government agencies, media groups, and business and industry. 25 footnotes and appended supplementary data and information