Relationships Between Drug Abuse And Delinquency
The relationships between drug abuse and delinquency can be attributed to many risk factors that tend to escalate delinquent behavior due to drug abuse. These risk factors include insufficient parental discipline, broken families, birth traumas, neglect and abuse during childhood, failure at learning in school, insufficient employment avenues, residing in high-crime areas and hyperactivity during childhood.
Persistent drug abuse leads to various problems which form the basis of the relationship between drug abuse and delinquency. These include failing grades in academics, deteriorating health conditions, mental health problems, reduced peer relationship and juvenile crimes leading to juvenile court rulings. Family members, the immediate community and the society at large are significantly affected by the consequences of the relationship between drug abuse and delinquency.
There are many other dangers that arise out of the relationship between drug abuse and delinquency and these are: staying away from school and performing poorly in the academic tests, chances of dropping out and other school problems, accidental injuries, chances of committing suicide or homicide, contracting deadly diseases such as HIV or other sexually transmitted diseases, possibility of getting alienated or stigmatized by the peers, alcohol-related vehicle accidents, reduced development, depression, withdrawal symptoms, apathy and psychosocial misbehaviors.
The relationship between drug abuse and delinquency is not of a uniform pattern which is borne out by the fact that not all juveniles living in high-crime neighborhoods exhibit the same deviant behavior. A detailed study of this aspect was carried out and it was found that the deviance resulting from material gains were influenced by the relationship with significant others whereas personal attitudes were responsible for deviance leading to disastrous consequences to self and others.