NCJ Number
224121
Journal
Journal of Drug Issues Volume: 38 Issue: 2 Dated: Spring 2008 Pages: 493-516
Date Published
2008
Length
24 pages
Annotation
Using data from a national sample, this study examined whether there was an association between nonmedical prescription drug use and delinquency among adolescents.
Abstract
The study found that nonmedical prescription drug use was significantly associated with self-reported delinquency as well as self-reported arrest. Among the weighted delinquency measures were fighting with parents, getting into a serious fight at school/work, having taken part in between-group fights, carried a handgun, sold illegal drugs, stolen or tried to steal anything worth more than $50, and attacked someone with the intent to seriously hurt them. Data for this study came from the 2005 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), which is an ongoing household survey of individuals ages 12 and older in the United States. The primary goal of the NSDUH is to measure the prevalence and correlates of substance use in the United States. The survey also includes a set of questions that measure youth experiences. The independent variable of interest was nonmedical prescription drug use in the past year. The NSDUH defines nonmedical prescription drug use as use without a prescription from a doctor or solely for the feeling or experience caused by the drug. The analysis examines the nonmedical use of any prescription drug, which includes the use of pain relievers, tranquilizers, stimulants, and/or sedatives. Common theoretical predictors of juvenile delinquency, social control, and social learning were also included in the multivariate models. Two scales measured the influence of peers. A school bond scale and a parental bond scale were also included in the questionnaire. 3 tables and 102 references