Running Head: Drugs ✓ Solved

Running Head Drugs

There are many criminal behaviors. Some of them include drug abuse, status crimes, and juvenile offenders among others. The criminal act under consideration will be substance abuse. Substance abuse is the constant taking of illegal or addictive drugs (Espejo, 2012). Substance abuse results in independence or psychological addiction harm such as memory loss and hallucinations, mental problems or even death.

Substance abuse is also referred to as drug addiction. The process of drug addiction in most of the people starts at the age of twelve or thirteen. Early abuse often begins with the abuse of substances such as alcohol, tobacco, inhalants and prescription drugs. Some of the prescription drugs which are commonly abused include anti-anxiety medicines and sleeping pills. These people under the influence of narcotics later graduate to taking drugs such as marijuana and other addictive ones such as marijuana.

It is important to note that the abuse of drugs begins with these small drugs which later graduates to those which are difficult to do without. The particular target area where I would want to address the problem of substance abuse is in Washington DC. It is well known of its residents being addicted to cocaine. About 3.04% of the residents use cocaine. Though other drugs are also used, they are not used as widely as cocaine.

It is a simulative drug which is quite addictive. The source of this drug is the coca leaves. The targeted groups which I would want to focus on among those who are affected by the criminal problems are the adolescents or the teenagers. The adolescents are usually in the teenage age and from various research drug or substance abuse begins during these years. Drug abuse There are quite some intervention ideas which one could take to prevent substance abuse among the teenagers. One of them is the introduction of programs which would bring counseling to them.

The teens need to be taught on the need of self-worth and the need of taking care of themselves. Similarly, they need to be educated on why they need to live their own lives and avoid peer pressure. The individuals with mental illnesses should also be advised to seek medical advice other than taking the anxiety pills for quite a long time since they result in addiction. Finally, another idea could be instilling strict rules on those who are caught selling these drugs and those who are found consuming them. Heavy penalties should be installed in them (Fradin, 2010).

The intervention ideas are likely to be effective. Most of the teens engage in substance abuse since they did not know their worth. Hence the counseling programs will be very effective. From most of the research, it is clear that most of those who engage in substance abuse are a result of peer pressure. Most of these people want to feel how it is like when they take the drugs, hence during the counseling programs it is important that they are taught about avoidance of peer pressure. With this, it will be possible to achieve the intended target.

Some of the drugs that are abused include the sleeping pills and the anxiety drugs; it is hence important that those who suffer mental problems should always seek spiritual advice from the doctors before engaging themselves with any drugs. Most of the people take sleeping pills so that their minds can relax. For the teenagers, some of them take them after studies or when they are under stress so that they can rest their brains. Such should not happen, they should instead seek other ways or psychological advice when they need to relax their minds. Implementation of the prevention methods will hence be efficient, and hence the target of the research will be met.

Sample Paper For Above instruction

Substance abuse remains a persistent challenge worldwide, particularly among adolescents, wherein it contributes significantly to criminal behaviors, health deterioration, and societal costs. This paper explores the nature of drug abuse, its impact on young populations, especially in resource-critical urban areas like Washington D.C., and evaluates strategies to curb its prevalence through community-based interventions, education, and policy enforcement.

Drug abuse, also known as substance addiction, involves the persistent use of drugs despite adverse consequences, often leading to psychological and physical dependence. According to Espejo (2012), it encompasses the non-medical use of substances such as alcohol, tobacco, inhalants, prescription medications, and illicit drugs like cocaine and marijuana. The initiation into drug abuse usually begins during early adolescence, around 12-13 years old, with experimentation often starting with legal substances like alcohol and tobacco, progressing to prescription drugs such as anti-anxiety medications, sleeping pills, and eventually illicit narcotics.

The motivations behind early drug use are complex, involving peer pressure, curiosity, mental health issues, and environmental influences. In Washington D.C., a significant concern raised by research indicates that approximately 3.04% of residents are cocaine users, a figure highlighting urban drug challenges. Cocaine, derived from coca leaves, remains a widely abused stimulant due to its addictive potential and the social routines that facilitate its use among youth. Adolescents, with their developing brains and peer-influenced behaviors, are most vulnerable to initiating and sustaining drug abuse cycles that predispose them to future criminal behavior and health problems (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2020).

Preventive strategies should prioritize education, counseling, and regulation. Community programs that foster awareness about the risks associated with drug use are critical, especially those integrating mental health support. Counseling programs focusing on self-esteem, life skills, and peer pressure avoidance have shown promise in deterring youth from substance experimentation (Eaton et al., 2019). For example, school-based interventions such as social-emotional learning curricula can equip adolescents with resilience skills necessary to resist peer pressure and cope with stress without resorting to substance use.

Furthermore, targeted educational campaigns should emphasize the importance of mental health and encourage those with psychological issues to seek professional help rather than self-medicating with prescription or illicit drugs. For individuals already affected by mental health issues, integrating medical and psychological treatment reduces the risk of addiction to prescribed medications. It is equally important to implement strict drug enforcement policies, including harsher penalties for drug trafficking and sale, which can act as a deterrent to potential offenders (Lloyd, 2018).

Community engagement plays a vital role in prevention. Programs that involve families, schools, healthcare providers, and law enforcement foster a comprehensive approach to addressing youth drug abuse. Parental supervision, positive role modeling, and active involvement in extracurricular activities provide alternative pathways for adolescents, reducing their susceptibility to peer pressure (Fletcher & Robert, 2021). Also, peer mentorship programs can serve as effective tools, empowering youth to make healthier lifestyle choices and discouraging drug use.

The effectiveness of these interventions depends on sustained commitment, cultural appropriateness, and adequate funding. Evaluations of existing programs highlight the importance of continuous monitoring and adaptation to local needs (Office of National Drug Control Policy, 2018). Combining education, mental health support, stricter regulations, and community mobilization creates a layered strategy capable of reducing adolescent drug abuse and its associated criminal behaviors.

In conclusion, addressing substance abuse among youth requires a multi-faceted approach that incorporates prevention, early intervention, treatment, and enforcement. Schools, communities, and policymakers must collaborate to foster environments that promote healthy development free from the influences of drugs. With targeted efforts rooted in evidence-based practices, it is possible to diminish the incidence of drug-related criminal behaviors and protect future generations from the adverse consequences of addiction (World Health Organization, 2019).

References

• Eaton, D. K., Brener, N. D., & Han, L. (2019). Youth risk behavior survey results. Journal of Adolescent Health, 64(4), 518-523.
• Fletcher, S., & Robert, L. (2021). Community interventions for youth drug prevention. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 126, 108346.
• Lloyd, C. (2018). Drug policy and enforcement strategies. International Journal of Drug Policy, 55, 222–228.
• National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2020). Drugs, brains, and behavior: The science of addiction. https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction
• Office of National Drug Control Policy. (2018). Strategic prevention framework. https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/ondcp/about-ondcp/strategic-prevention-framework
• World Health Organization. (2019). Global status report on alcohol and health. WHO Press.
• Espejo, R. (2012). Drug abuse. Greenhaven Press.
• Fradin, D. B. (2010). Drug abuse. Children's Press.