SUBSTANCE ABUSE

Substance Abuse

Substance Abuse

Introduction

Substance abuse is a common correlate of criminal offending and victimization, yet there is no single, universal definition of substance abuse. The American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders generally defines substance abuse as any substance use that is associated with persistent interpersonal, legal, occupational or educational problems. It can also be used to refer to the use of substances in risky situations. The term substance abuse has been used broadly across research disciplines to cover behaviors such as substance use, misuse, abuse, and dependence.

Efforts to prevent substance abuse are concerned with eliminating the risk factors and enhancing the protective factors associated with drug use. The primary goal of substance abuse prevention is to intervene and halt the influence of risk factors while simultaneously enhancing the effects of protective factors against substance use and abuse. Prevention programming focuses on increasing knowledge about drugs and the dangers associated with their use, deterring or reducing use, delaying age of onset, encouraging the development of negative attitudes toward drug use, and fostering individuals' self-esteem and self-awareness. This latter focus serves the important task of addressing possible psychological correlates of drug abuse. Another key component of substance abuse prevention is aimed at peer-based programming, such as the development of refusal skills to combat peer pressure.

Risk Factors for Substance Abuse

Research has identified a variety of factors that put individuals at risk for substance use and abuse. These risk factors do not exist solely at the individual level but rather occur across multiple domains. Much of this research has focused on youths, given the strong association between adolescent substance use and delinquency, and the negative impacts of these problem behaviors into adulthood. J. David Hawkins and his colleagues (1992) at the University of Washington succinctly summarized risk factors for both substance abuse and delinquency that exist across community, family, school, and individual levels. At the community level, risk factors for substance use and delinquency include the presence of attitudes favorable to drug use and crime, and the availability or perceived availability of drugs in the community. Another community characteristic, that is, increases in the transitions and mobility of community residents, can reduce the level of informal social control in a community, which may facilitate the tolerance of delinquent, substance-using subcultures. Also, communities with high population density and signs of physical deterioration have been shown to have higher rates of juvenile substance use and crime. Low levels of attachment to the community may also undermine informal social control, as can the community's level of economic deprivation.

Types of Substance Abuse Prevention Programs

Many past substance abuse prevention efforts have focused on reducing risk factors in one or more specific areas. Early methods concentrated on targeting supply and enhancing law enforcement to deter use. For example, there have been various prohibitions on the sale of alcohol, including age restrictions, restrictions on hours available for purchase, and restrictions on the amount purchased at a time. Law enforcement efforts were increased to combat drug offenses, and criminal ...