Drug Use and Problems With the Law in Adolescent Inpatients

• NCJ Number: 98053
• Journal: Corrective and Social Psychiatry and Journal of Behavior Technology Methods and Therapy Volume: 31 Issue: 3 Dated: (July 1985) Pages: 103-107
• Author(s): M J Little; S R Batey; H H Wright
• Date Published: 1985
• Length: 5 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

This was a retrospective study of 148 adolescents discharged from a psychiatric facility between January 1976 and June 1983.

Abstract

The patients were 13 to 17 years of age; 55% were male, with a racial distribution of 87% white, 12% black and 1% of oriental extraction. The most common referral problems included school problems (28%), unmanageable behavior (24%), depression (20%), drug and alcohol related problems (18%), and aggression (15%). A history of problems with the law was present in 35% of the population with 65% of that group being males. Of patients with problems with the law, 67% had a history of illicit drug use with 50% using two or more drugs. The most commonly used street drugs prior to admission were marijuana (37%), alcohol (30%), sedative-hypnotics (18%), psychostimulants (12%), and hallucinogens ('%). There was a significant correlation between drug use and problems with the law. (Publisher abstract)