Preventing Substance Abuse (From Building a Safer Society: Strategic Approaches to Crime Prevention, Volume 19, P 343-427, 1995, Michael Tonry and David P Farrington, eds.)

• NCJ Number: 159621
• Author(s): J D Hawkins; M W Arthur; R F Catalano
• Date Published: 1995
• Length: 85 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: Great Britain Home Office
• Sale Source: University of Chicago Press
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

Although the prevalence of drug use among high school students and household members has been declining in recent years, high rates of drug abuse among arrestees, homeless individuals, and school dropouts and an increasing trend in the number of drug-related hospital emergency room incidents suggest that drug abuse among some populations has not declined.

Abstract

Prospective longitudinal studies have identified several risk factors that consistently predict the likelihood of drug abuse. Individuals experiencing multiple risk factors and few protective influences during infancy, childhood, and early adolescence are at greatest risk for abusing drugs during late adolescence and early adulthood. Efforts to reduce risk and enhance protective factors in multiple domains hold promise for effective drug abuse prevention among high-risk populations. The importance of community participation in drug prevention initiatives and the successful development of cognitive and social skills are emphasized. Data are provided on emergency room episodes involving cocaine and heroin and on risk factors for adolescent drug abuse. 287 references, 1 table, and 4 figures