Term Paper on "Teenage Issues in America"

Term Paper 4 pages (1023 words) Sources: 1+

[EXCERPT] . . . .

S. youth. In addition, a violent environment makes teenagers worldwide more likely to smoke, drink alcohol and take illegal substances.

Drug and alcohol abuse is a major concern for teens in the U.S. Studies show that more than half of teens aged 12-17 reported that drugs were easy to obtain in 1998 (Sound Vision, 2003). Approximately 13% of the population reporting that someone selling drugs had approached them in the past month.

Alcohol apparently is the drug of choice for many teens. More than 40% of teens admitted drinking when they are upset; 31% said they drink alone; 25% said they drink when they are bored; and 25% said they drink to "get high" (Sound Vision, 2003). On an annual basis, teenagers spend $5.5 billion on alcohol, considerably more than they spend on soft drinks, tea, milk, juice, coffee or books combined. Sixty percent of college women diagnosed with an STD reported being drunk at the time of infection (Advocacy Institute, 1992). Alcohol is a major concern for the U.S. As eight young people are killed in alcohol-related crashes every day. We are simply losing too many teens and wasting too many lives to allow this problem to continue.

The impacts of teenage drug abuse are great. Alcohol is implicated in more incidents of sexual violence, such as rape, than any single drug (The Alan Guttmacher Institute, 1996). Alcohol use -- by the victim, the perpetrator or both -- is implicated in 46 to 75% of date rapes of college students. Thirty-eight percent of incarcerated sex offenders were under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crime (23% under the influence of alcohol alone, 15% under alcohol and drugs) and 5% were under the influence of drugs alone.

Prison costs for substance-involved sex offenders totaled $1.6 billion in 1998. In addition, women who have alcohol and drug problems are likelier to have been sexually abused as children or sexually assaulted. These implications pose a serious threat to American society.

According to Karzon (2003): "Juveniles are the future of any society and require special care and attention. Due to their susceptibility they respond to social malfunctioning and other anomalies in ways not approved by social norms and values. Their resistance to the dominant culture indicates the necessity of reorganizing the social institutions and spatial attention being given to promote the cause of juveniles."

The greatest challenges facing American teens are overcoming the obstacles to living in today's society, receiving a good education, and being equipped to compete for jobs in the modern economy (The Alan Guttmacher Institute, 1996). Obstacles such as violence, drug and alcohol use, and sexual peer pressure place incredible burdens on American teens. If parents, teachers and elected officials do not address these problems and look for real solutions, the cycle of neglect in our communities is bound to be passed on to the next generation.

Bibliography

Dew, Diane. (March 11, 1995). The Troubles Teens Face. The Covington News.

Karzon,… READ MORE

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