Examination of the relationships among drug use, emotional/psychological problems, and crime among youths entering a juvenile detention center.
Urine testing and confidential interviews of youths entering a juvenile detention center in a southeastern city produced some striking results in regard to their drug use, delinquent behavior, and emotional/psychological problems. Recent users of marijuana/hashish and cocaine had higher rates of referral to juvenile court for property and drug offenses than nonusers. The results suggest that interviewing and urine testing of youthful detainees for drug use at the point of entry into secure detention is a promising method for screening youngsters with histories of delinquent behavior. Implications of these findings are drawn.
Dembo
R
R
Department of Criminology, University of South Florida, Tampa 33620.
Williams
L
L
Wish
E D
ED
Berry
E
E
Getreu
A
A
Washburn
M
M
Schmeidler
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D003042:Cocaine / Q000652:urine; D003415:Crime; D016002:Discriminant Analysis; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D002189:Marijuana Abuse / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000652:urine; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012926:Social Control, Formal; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000652:urine
D003042:Cocaine