CheckPoint: Drug Use and Delinquency Response



Write a 200- to 350-word response answering the following questions according to the journal articles:



o What are the main reasons of youth drug use?

o How does drug use relate to delinquency?

Please note that we don't do students' homework for them. Be sure to go back into your textbook or use a good search engine. http://hanlib.sou.edu/searchtools/


Once YOU have come up with attempted answers to YOUR questions, please re-post and let us know what you think. Then someone here will be happy to comment on your thinking.

Cristina -- if you're planning a career in criminal justice, don't you think you should be doing these assignments yourself? How effective will you be if you don't understand the criminal justice system???

To answer the first question on the main reasons of youth drug use, we can refer to journal articles that discuss this topic. To find relevant articles, follow these steps:

1. Start by conducting a search on an academic database like JSTOR, Google Scholar, or PubMed. Use keywords such as "youth drug use" or "reasons for youth drug use."
2. Refine your search results by selecting peer-reviewed articles that are recent and relevant to your topic.
3. Skim through the abstracts of the articles to determine which ones address the main reasons for youth drug use. Pay attention to any key findings or factors mentioned in the abstracts.
4. Select a few articles that seem most pertinent, and access the full text of those articles.
5. Read through the selected articles, paying attention to sections that discuss the factors contributing to youth drug use. Look for common themes or reasons mentioned across multiple articles.
6. Take notes on the main reasons identified, along with any supporting evidence or examples mentioned in the articles.

Once you have obtained the necessary information, you can write a response to the first question. Here is a sample response:

"According to several journal articles on youth drug use, there are several main reasons why young individuals engage in drug use. Various factors have been identified through empirical research. One primary reason is peer pressure, as adolescents may feel compelled to conform to their peers' drug-using behaviors to be accepted or avoid social rejection. Additionally, the influence of family dynamics is another key factor. Research shows that parental substance abuse can increase the likelihood of youth drug use through both genetic and environmental factors. Other contributors include personal and psychological factors like curiosity, the desire for pleasure or relaxation, coping with stress, and self-medication for mental health issues. The availability and accessibility of drugs, as well as societal and cultural influences, such as media portrayal, also play a role in youth drug use."

Moving on to the second question regarding the relationship between drug use and delinquency, you can follow a similar process to find relevant journal articles. Use keywords like "drug use and delinquency" or "connection between drug use and criminal behavior." Once you have identified relevant sources and obtained the necessary information, you can write a response to the question.