This Month
Compass Card poised to
change transit in San Diego
More local juvenile arrestees test positive for drugs and alcohol
Crime mapping Web site is a resounding success
Report details regional demographic and economic trends
American Community Survey data set for release
Public involvement program
for Regional Transportation Plan
Meet the RideLink and
STAR 94.1 teams
More local juvenile arrestees test positive for drugs and alcohol
The latest study by the SANDAG Criminal Justice Research Division reveals that drug use among local juvenile arrestees is on the rise. In 2005, more than half (55%) tested positive for any drug, 44 percent for marijuana, and 21 percent for methamphetamine (meth). The data reinforces that meth is still a major concern in the region with about one in five juvenile arrestees testing positive for the drug — the highest rate over the past six years.
The information collected in 2005 through a SANDAG project called “SAM” (Substance Abuse Monitoring), gives law enforcement agencies, treatment providers, and prevention programs an in-depth look at drug use and other behavioral risks among adult and juvenile arrestees. For the first time, this year’s data as well as information from 2004 are available on the SANDAG Web site.
In 2005, 178 juvenile arrestees were interviewed as part of the SAM project – 165 of whom provided a urine sample (121 boys and 44 girls). Eighteen percent of these youths also tested positive for more than one drug, and all 29 who fell into this group tested positive for marijuana.
Overall, 82 percent of the youths interviewed in 2005 reported that they had tried tobacco; 92 percent each marijuana and alcohol; and 42 percent meth. Other drugs which they reported trying at some point included cocaine (25%), mushrooms (20%), ecstasy (19%), crack (16%), inhalants (11%), rohypnol (7%), LSD (7%), heroin (6%), GHB (1%), and steroids (1%).
Unfortunately, juvenile arrestees who used meth and crack were aware of the negative health risks but used the substances nevertheless. In addition, marijuana, alcohol, and tobacco users did not perceive the substances as negatively as non-users — thereby suggesting the need for more educational campaigns depicting the negative health risks associated with both substances. Equally disturbing is the fact that three-fourths reported that it was easy to obtain meth and marijuana.
The study revealed a number of factors which can influence drug use among juveniles. Six characteristics were discovered to be consistent predictors of drug use: age, gender; race/ethnicity; gang activity; enrollment in school; and having parents who use drugs and alcohol.
View the complete report.
Project Manager:
Cynthia Burke, cbu@sandag.org, 619-699-1910