4 Troubled Teens Blog

Monday, August 30, 2010

Gang Presence Increasing in Public Schools

A new survey by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) has found that the presence of gangs and drugs is increasing in U.S. high schools. Gang participation has long been associated with increased risk of teen drug and alcohol abuse.

“According to the report, 66 percent of high school students said their schools were drug-infected, a steep increase from last year when 51 percent said their schools had drugs. In the newest survey, one in three middle-schoolers say drugs are used, kept, or sold at their school. Last year, 23 percent of children in middle school said they had drugs in their school.” [Source: CNN]

The report also found that kids who attend schools where both drugs and gangs are present were five times more likely to smoke marijuana, and almost five times more likely know someone who uses cocaine or other hard drugs. The study’s authors offered no explanation for the sudden increases.

Labels: drug_use, alcohol_abuse, gangs

Posted By: Jane St. Clair

Comments:

MO84 on 12/25/2010
I feel part of the problem has some to do with the Economy but its not the only cause. Thier is no way to touch on all of the causes but if you can look back in time thing were much simpler then. Every thing is on the fast track now. People are not able to keep up. This causes people to become depressed and when this happens everything rolls down hill in a lot of cases stopping with the children. Adults do not want to do their life tasks any more. Children are rising themselves. Parents do not want to get up off the couch and help or discipline their children. Most Parents would rather be their kids best friend rather than their mother or father. Kids are desensitized to a lot of things in life through music, movies, video games and lack of discipline. Im not saying that thay are bad for them but they need to be able to understant that life is far from being the way its portrayed in the movies and in the music an also video games. Children also need to know there are consequences to their actions. Parents also need to know there are consequences to their actions along with their childrens actions. I could go on and on but Im not. With this said I would also like to mention that most families are pushed to their limits. With the economy the way it is it takes both parents to work full time jobs just to try to pay for the gas to travel to and from work not to mention paying for a daycare or baby sitter. There is no was to stop this cycle until every one comes together and tries harder to stop it. Yes there are lots of teen programs out their but we also need to focus more on the parents and the home environment. The community environment also needs to be focused on.
Kensington on 9/15/2010
I wonder if part of the problem is the long-term effects of the economy being bad for so long. People tend to turn to ways to tune out, including drugs and alcohol, in times of great stress. This can include a depressed economy. Teenagers often learn from what they witness at home, so if adults are doing the same thing, it can be a pattern the kids repeat.