NCJ Number
166418
Date Published
1995
Length
86 pages
Annotation
Based on findings from the Gallup Youth Survey over the last two decades, this booklet presents youth attitudes toward such issues as crime in schools, sexual behavior, suicide, drug use, school, self, and the future.
Abstract
The Gallup Youth Surveys are based on nationally representative samples of at least 500 teens, ages 13 to 17, and are conducted throughout the year by telephone. Findings from the surveys show that in cities and suburbs alike, America's teens are meeting violence in their schools and in their homes. The dual threats of unwanted pregnancies and AIDS make teen sexuality more complicated and more dangerous than ever. Bad eating habits, poor attitudes toward exercise, and too much fatty food combine to make America's teens among the least healthy of the developed nations. Drug and alcohol abuse, pervasive among teens in America, are linked not only with higher juvenile crime but with higher rates of teen suicide. An analysis of the surveys concludes that too many American teens lack the one tool they need to confront the risks they face, i.e., positive moral values, rooted for many in religious faith. In addition to presenting survey data, this booklet includes the advice of leading authorities obtained through interviews especially for this book on how to deal with each of the risk behaviors or problems reviewed in the surveys. These authorities represent many fields, including education, suicide prevention, family violence prevention, drug abuse prevention, religion, character development, health and physical fitness, and child abuse prevention. Resources are recommended, and a parent's checklist is provided.