Youth’s Problems
To some perceivers, teens today may look spoiled ( undisciplined and egoistic ) compared to those of earlier times. The world, nevertheless, is different. While poorness has decreased and political convulsion has lessened, immature people are still under many types of emphasis. Peer force per unit area, altering household conditions, mobility of households and unemployment are merely a few grounds why some immature people may seek to get away world by turning to alcohol or drugs. However, most immature people in the United States do non hold jobs with imbibing, drug maltreatment, adolescent gestations or juvenile delinquency. Drug usage ( marihuana and cocaine are the most normally used drugs ) has decreased among immature people in the United States within the last 10 old ages, though intoxicant maltreatment has increased.
Harmonizing to a 1991 authorities study, about 8 million adolescents are hebdomadal users of intoxicant, including more than 450,000 who consume an norm of 15 drinks a hebdomad. And, although all 50 provinces prohibit the sale of intoxicant to anyone under 21, some 6.9 million adolescents, including some every bit immature as 13, reported no jobs in obtaining intoxicant utilizing false designation cards. Although many adolescents say they ne’er drive after imbibing, tierce of the pupils surveyed admitted they they has accepted drives from friends who had been imbibing.
Many immature Americans are fall ining organisations to assist adolescents halt imbibing and drive. Thousands of adolescents have joined Students Against Driving Drunk ( SADD ) . They sign contracts in which they and their parents pledge non to drive after imbibing. In some schools, pupils have joined anti-drug plans. Young people with drug jobs can besides name particular telephone Numberss to inquire for aid.
Aside from drug maltreatment, another job of America ‘s young persons is gestation among immature adult females. One million adolescents become pregnant each twelvemonth. Why are the statistics so high? The post-World War II babe roar resulted in a 43 per centum addition in the figure of adolescents in the sixtiess and 1970s. The Numberss of sexually active teens besides increased. And some observers believe that ordinances for obtaining federal public assistance aid accidentally promote
teenage gestations.
Many community plans help cut down on the Numberss of teenage gestations. Some plans rely on strong guidance against prenuptial sex and others provide prophylactic guidance. The “ Teen Health Project ” in New York City has led to a diminution of 13.5 per centum in the rate of teenage gestations since 1976. Why? Their plan offers wellness attention, prophylactic guidance, athleticss plans, occupation referrals and substance maltreatment plans.
About one million immature people run off from place each twelvemonth. Most return after a few yearss or a few hebdomads, but a few bend to offense and go juvenile delinquents. In 1989, about one-third of those arrested for serious offenses were under 18 old ages of age. Why are immature people perpetrating offenses? Among the causes are hapless household relationships ( frequently the kids were abused or neglected while turning up ) , bad vicinity conditions, equal force per unit area and sometimes, drug dependence.
Laws vary from province to province sing juvenile delinquents. Once arrested, a juvenile must look in a juvenile tribunal. Juvenile tribunals frequently give lighter penalties to immature people than to grownups who commit the same offense. Juvenile tribunals hope to reform or rehabilitate the juvenile delinquent.
New plans to assist troubled young persons are created every twelvemonth. For illustration, the metropolis of New York and the Rheedlen Foundation provide an after-school plan at a junior high school to assist maintain teens from going juvenile delinquents. Young people can travel 4 after school and talk with equal counsellors ( people their ain age ) , receive academic tutoring or take portion in athletic and societal activities. One New York community ‘s library offers weekday flushing workshops in dance, art, music and theatre. They besides sponsor societal events, such as theatre productions, in which immature people can take part. Another group, the “ Youth Rescue Fund ” has a famous person equal council of 15 teenage histrions and actresses who volunteer their clip to increase adolescent crisis consciousness. As one immature telecasting actress said: “ Adolescents are an of import resource in bettering the quality of life for all people. ”
