NCJ Number
196980
Journal
Youth Studies Australia Volume: 21 Issue: 3 Dated: September 2002 Pages: 17-24
Date Published
September 2002
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This article reports on a study of illicit drug involvement among Vietnamese young people in Melbourne, Australia.
Abstract
In this article, the author focuses on the explanations offered by Vietnamese parents and their children concerning illicit drug use among these young people in Melbourne, Australia. Arrests for drug trafficking offenses among young offenders born in Vietnam far exceed the arrests for these offenses among Australian-born young people. In an effort to understand why these youths are more at risk for involvement in illicit drug use, the author interviewed seven Vietnamese youths aged 18 to 24 and five Vietnamese mothers who had children between the ages of 14 to 25. The study revealed that parents and youths were in agreement about the factors that led to illicit drug use among this population. The main reasons for involvement with drugs included cultural and intergenerational conflict, poor communication and lack of intimacy within families, peer pressure, and unrealistic expectations for academic performance. While youths and parents agreed on the reasons for illicit drug use, they disagreed about the causes. Parents tended to blame Australian culture while the youths blamed their parents behavior. In conclusion, the author states that Vietnamese families face considerable pressures and that community leaders need to become involved in tackling cross-cultural issues and problems. References