Drug Use

Programs can very well be beneficial to juvenile offenders with crimes committed while under the influence. This brings up the question to juvenile courts and judges throughout our country whether it is beneficial to "lock up" a juvenile for a crime committed while under the influence, when the juvenile clearly has an addiction or a drug problem, or to send the now juvenile criminal to a drug abuse program to help the juvenile before it is too late. The consensus seems to move toward the "rehabilitation" rather that the "lock up" ideaology. Most schools and juvenile courts, or family courts as known in New Jersey are taking a strong approach with a "zero-tolerance" policy in schools and with juvenile offenders but are using "treatment, not punishment" as the remedy to juvenile delinquency in relation to drug use. In the United States between 1993 and 1998 the amount of teens attending drug treatment centers rose about fifty percent, with all being sent from court coercion and from high school diversions. One statistic that seems to hold true for all forms of managing or stopping delinquent behavior was to institute a form of structure or a planned program into the adolescent's life. Those who sought therapy for drug use and stayed with the program usually prevailed. Teens who became more involved at school and committed to schoolwork also saw a drop in high-risk behavior, even in high crime neighborhoods.