BY ALVIN W. COHN, D.CRIM
President, National Juvenile Court Services Association

Treatment Gap

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health's household survey, 7.7 million people in the U.S. needed treatment for diagnosable drug problems in 2002, and 18.6 million needed treatment for a serious alcohol problem. Only 1.4 percent received specialized substance abuse treatment and 1.5 percent of the 18.6 million of those with alcohol problems received it. According to the new findings, 362,000 people in 2002 recognized they needed treatment for drug abuse. Of those, 88,000 tried but were unable to obtain treatment. The survey found that marijuana is the most popular illicit drug, used by 14.6 million people.

Teens and Multiple Choices

A survey reveals that most teens would rather spend time with family members than visit with friends, play sports, watch TV, or surf the Web. The annual State of Our Nation's Youth reports that teens admire their parents and tend to get along nicely with them. Asked how they get along with their parents or guardians, 74 percent of all teens (ages 13 to 19) say "extremely well" or "very well." Only three percent say they don't get along. As many as 44 percent of the teens call a family member their role model. Among other findings:

• 37 percent of high school students say their mother is the role model.
• 30 percent of teens say the father is the role model.
• 76 percent of teens say they would like to learn more about world events and other cultures, up from 66 percent last year.
• 42 percent of high school students call pressure to get good grades a "major problem," up from 35 percent last year.
• 80 percent say they plan to go to a four-year college, up from 66 percent last year.

U.S. Prison Population

The nation's prison population increased to 2,166,260 last year, a 2.6 percent increase, which is the largest increase since 1999, according to the Department of Justice. The rise came despite a small decline in serious crime in 2002. It also came when a growing number of states have begun to reduce prison costs by easing tough sentencing laws, thereby decreasing the number of inmates. California had the largest number of inmates, with 162,317, followed by Texas, with 162,003. Louisiana had the highest rate of incarceration, with 794 inmates per 100,000 residents, with Maine and Minnesota tied for the lowest incarceration rate, with 141 inmates per 100,000 state residents.

Life Expectancy

Americans are living longer, becoming more health-conscious, and yet more chronically ill at the same time, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Overall life expectancy in 2001 was 77.2 years, an increase of almost four months from 2000, when it was 76.9 years. In 1900, a newborn could expect to live 47.3 years, while in 1950, life expectancy was 68.2 years. In 2001, 77 percent of children younger than three were vaccinated. For children in poor families, the number was 72 percent. The percentage of high school students who reported they had smoked cigarettes in the last month fell to 29 percent in 2001; in 1997, it was 36 percent. The birthrate for teenage girls was 45 births per 1,000 girls, the lowest rate in more than 60 years. The percentage of children classified as overweight increased from seven percent in the late 1970s to 15 percent in the 1990s. The full report can be obtained at www.cdc.gov/nchs/.

Roots of Stable Adults

Children given extra attention by teachers and fed a nutritious diet appear to be at lower risk of becoming psychotic or developing conduct problems 20 years later, reports the American Journal of Psychiatry. The study examined the effects of improved teaching, exercise, and nutrition on 100 children between the ages of three and five in Mauritius, an island nation in the Indian Ocean. The group fed hot meals, made to exercise for over two hours daily, and given intensive early education had 31.9 percent fewer cases of psychosis at age 17 than those who received no special treatment. Those who got the intervention also had a 27.9 percent reduction in conduct disorder at age 17. The crime rate at age 23 was 13 percentage points lower in the enriched group, and the risk that the young adults would become loners was cut by almost a third.

Future of Children

Printed copies of the most recent issue of The Future of Children, "Health Insurance for Children" (Vol.13, No. 1–Spring 2003), along with back issues of the journal can be ordered via http://www.futureofchildren.org/ cart2869/cart.htm.

Probation and Parole in the U.S.—2002

The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) reports on the number of persons on probation and parole, by state, at year-end 2002 and compares the totals with year-end 1995 and 2000. The report identifies totals by state in terms of smallest and largest increases/decreases, the race and gender of the offenders, and reports the numbers of probationers and parolees completing community supervision successfully, or failing because of rule violations or new offenses. The adult probation population grew 1.6 percent in 2002, an increase of 63,434 probationers, about half the average annual growth of 3.1 percent since 1995. Overall, the nation's parole population grew by 20,808 in 2002, or 2.8 percent, almost double the average annual growth of 1.5 percent since 1995.

The nation's correctional population reached a record of more than 6.7 million adult men and women by the end of 2002. As of last December 31, about 3.1 percent of the U.S. adult population, or one of every 32 adults, were in prisons or jails or in the community under correctional supervision, compared to 2.7 percent of the adult population in 1995. The full report can be obtained at http://www. ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/abstract/ppus02.htm.

Student-Teacher Ratio

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average number of public and private school students per teacher in the U.S. elementary and secondary schools has dropped:

• 1971 = 22.4
• 1981 = 18.7
• 1991 = 17.0
• 2001 = 15.8 (estimated)

Teachers and Class Time

Teachers see fewer students per day than 40 years ago, have more prep time, but have lost 12 minutes at lunchtime. The National Education Association reports on the 2000–2001 school year that most elementary school teachers have 21 students per class, down from 29 in 1961. Teachers in secondary schools have 28 students per class, up from 27, but teach fewer a day. High school teachers in 1966 taught 132 students a day; by 2001 that was down to 89. The average teacher also spends three more hours a week on the job than in 1961 and only 32 minutes for lunch, compared with 40 in 1961.

Teachers also report spending an average of $443 out of their own pockets and one in 12 report spending over $1,000 yearly for school supplies and resources. Though the average salary has climbed steadily, from $5,264 in 1961 ($32,598 in today's dollars) to $43,262 in 2001, this is attributed to seniority. The percentage of male teachers has dropped by about one-third, from 31 percent to 21 percent; while minority teacher numbers have also dropped since 1971, from 12 percent to 10 percent. Only 61 percent of current teachers say they would become teachers again if they had to start over—down from 77 percent in 1961.

Competition for Teachers

Competition from higher-paying jobs will make it difficult for public schools to ensure that all teachers are highly qualified, reports the General Accounting Office (GAO). The No Child Left Behind law requires that teachers have a bachelor's degree and a state teaching certificate by 2005–2006. Teachers must also have majored in their subject in college or passed state tests in their subject. State education officials report that higher salaries offered by other jobs will make it more difficult to employ and retain good teachers.

Teens and Alcohol

The Institute of Medicine reports that in 1966, underage drinking caused 3,500 deaths, two million injuries, 1,200 babies born with fetal alcohol syndrome, and 57,000 people having to be treated for alcoholism. The social cost associated with underage drinking in 1966 was estimated to be just under $53 billion. In 2002, 20 percent of eighth-graders surveyed had drunk alcohol within the past 30 days; 49 percent of high-schoolers are drinkers; and 29 percent admit to having drunk five or more drinks in a row in the past two weeks. Forty-one percent of college students admit to being heavy drinkers. In 2000, the country spent $1.8 billion to discourage illegal drug use and only $71 million to discourage underage drinking.

The Journal of the American Medical Association reports that magazines popular with teens, such as Rolling Stone, Sports Illustrated, and People, tend to have more liquor and beer ads than other titles, which suggests that the alcohol industry may be indirectly targeting underage drinkers. Researchers compared 35 magazines and found that for every one million more readers ages 12 to 19, a magazine had about 60 percent more beer and distilled liquor ads.

School Crime

School crime is on the decline, according to the Departments of Justice and Education. From 1995 to 2001, the percentage of students ages 12 to 18 who reported being victims of violence or theft at school dropped from 10 percent to six percent. The rate of violent crimes at school among these students dropped from 48 crimes per 1,000 students to 28 crimes from 1992 to 2001. The report can be obtained at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/abstract/iscs03.htm.

Sleeping Babies

Putting babies to bed on their backs not only reduces their risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), but also reduces other problems, such as stuffy noses and spitting up, as reported in the Archives of Pediatrics. The study of 3,733 infants found that babies who slept on their back spit up less and were less likely to develop fever or respiratory problems than babies who slept on their bellies.

Student Loan Debt

According to Nellie Mae, the average student graduates with nearly $19,000 in student loans:

• Average undergraduate debt = $18,900
• For four-year public school = $17,100
• For four-year private school = $21,200
• Average monthly payment = $182
• Average monthly payment as percentage of income = 9 percent

Drugs and Crime Facts

The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) has updated Drugs and Crime Facts, a section of the Web site, with information from 21 recent statistical publications. It summarizes statistics on drug use and related crimes, drug law violations, drug treatment under correctional supervision, the drug-control budget, and public opinion about drugs, as well as some data related to juvenile drug use and arrest trends. To obtain the report, see http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/dcf/contents.htm.

Mononucleosis and Hodgkin's

Young adults who get mononucleosis have more than double the risk of a rare type of cancer, Hodgkin's disease, a highly treatable cancer of the lymph system. But the role played by the common virus that causes mono was uncertain. The virus, Epstein-Barr, is found in about one-third of Hodgkin's tumors, reports the New England Journal of Medicine. In a study of more than 63,000 young adults suspected of having mono, researchers found that those who got mono had a higher than average chance of getting Hodgkin's, and the risk lasted for two decades. About one in 1,000 young adults will get the cancer, the researchers stated.

Youth and the Internet

A study completed by the Center for Communication Policy reports that nearly one in five parents complain that children spend too much time online, up from 11 percent in 2000. However, 23 percent of the parents said the Internet boosted their children's grades; fewer than four percent felt it hurt them. The National School Board's Foundation found that Internet use tends to steal time from TV viewing and that wired kids tend to spend more time reading newspapers, magazines, and books. Reports indicate that 7- to 12-year-olds do the following with their computer time:

• Play games – 87 percent
• Listen to music – 63 percent
• Do schoolwork – 60 percent
• Watch videos, movies, cartoons – 36 percent
• Learn about celebrities – 27 percent

In a related study, the Kaiser Family Foundation reports in Zero to Six: Electronic Media in the Lives of Infants, Toddlers, and Preschoolers, that two-thirds of children live in homes where the television is left on at least half the time. Along with computers and video games, the report adds that children six and younger spend about the same amount of time every day using "screen media" (one hour, 58 minutes) as they do playing outside and much more than the time they spend reading or being read to (39 minutes). According to the researchers, 43 percent of children younger than two watch TV every day and one in four has a TV set in his or her room.

Students and AP Courses

AP courses, created half a century ago by the New York-based College Board, traditionally were only offered to high school juniors and seniors attracted by the academic challenge and the chance to gain college credit. But between 1993 and 2003, the number of high school freshmen taking AP examinations increased from 498 to 2,120. The number of 10th-graders taking the exams, which are written and scored by outside experts, went from 18,045 to 60,331. Although the total number of AP tests taken by ninth- and 10th-graders represented only four percent of the 1.75 million exams given last May, many more schools are signing on.

PACER

Parents of children with disabilities and professionals serving them can obtain up-to-date information and resources at PACER's Web site, which has more than 350 documents and links to other sites. See www.pacer org, or www.fape.org, or www.taalliance.org.

NIC Training

The National Institute of Corrections has issued its 2004 Training Programs for Juvenile Corrections Professionals, which describes the training programs and technical assistance available from NIC. For a copy of the program, contact NIC at (800) 877-1461 and ask for accession number 018928 or at http://www.nicic.org/Downloads/PDF/servplan04/NIC-juvplano4.pdf.

OJJDP Publications

• Latest Resources from OJJDP is a comprehensive, user-friendly guide to useful information available from OJJDP. It includes an annotated listing of all publications issued by OJJDP in 2001 and 2002 and offers an overview of the types of publications and other information resources that OJJDP offers. See http://ojjdp.ncjrs.org/pubs/general.html#bc000115.

For other information about OJJDP activities and programs, see the Web site at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ojjdp/.

• Aftercare Services describes programs concerned with education, family, health, and vocational services. Aftercare is analyzed in relation to system change and promising aftercare programs are identified. See http://ojjdp.ncjrs.org/pubs/delinqsum.html#201800.
  
  
• Delinquency Cases in Juvenile Courts, 1999 details increases in drug law violations, public order offenses, and person offenses cases during the 1990s. See http://ojjdp.ncjrs.org/pubs/fact.html#fs200302.
  
  
• Review of Cases Waived to Criminal Court 1990–1999 reports on data from nearly 2,000 jurisdictions. See http://ojjdp.ncjrs.org/pubs/fact.html#fs200304.
  
  
• Person Offenses in Juvenile Court 1990–1999 provides statistics on assault, homicide, rape, and robbery cases handled by juvenile courts. See http://ojjdp.ncjrs.org/pubs/fact.html#fs200303.
  
  
• Investigating Hate Crimes on the Internet provides information for law enforcement about the growing problem of hate crimes on the Internet. It defines hate crimes, describes the principal Federal and state hate crimes laws, and examines a number of cases, as well as legal issues associated with hate crimes investigations. See http://www.partnersagainsthate.org/publications/investigating_hc.pdf.
  
  
• School Crisis Response Initiative describes how trained school personnel and community members can provide students with triage, counseling, and referral to community services after traumatic events. See http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/publications/bulletins/schoolcrisis/.
  
  
• Juvenile Court Placement of Adjudicated Youth, 1990–1999 reports that nearly one-quarter of cases adjudicated in 1999 resulted in placement in a residential or group home or correctional facility. See http://ojjdp.ncjrs.org/pubs/fact.html#fs200305.
  
  
• Juvenile Delinquency Probation Caseload, 1990–1999 indicates that the number of cases placed on probation grew 44 percent and the overall delinquency caseload increased 27 percent between 1990 and 1999. See http://ojjdp.ncjrs.org/pubs/fact.html#fs200306.
  
  
• Detention in Delinquency Cases, 1990–1999 notes that delinquency caseloads increased 11 percent between 1990 and 1999, with the most dramatic growth rate in the number of cases involving females charged with person offenses. See http://ojjdp.ncjrs.org/pubs/fact.html#fs200307.

Stressed-Out Teenagers

Stressed-out teenagers who are bored and have $25 or more a week in spending money are 50 percent more likely to smoke, drink, get drunk, or use drugs, according to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse. Researchers found that students attending schools with 800 or fewer students or religious schools are less likely to abuse substances.

Movies and Smoking

Teenagers are significantly more likely to start smoking if they watch movies featuring stars who smoke cigarettes, and teens whose parents don't smoke are the most likely to be swayed by actors lighting up on screen, reports the journal Lancet. Teens who watched the most movies with smoking were almost three times more likely to start smoking than those who watched the fewest number of movies with smoking. The researchers followed 2,600 Vermont and New Hampshire children ages 10 to 14 for two years. Because the study looked at young adolescents, it did not establish a direct relationship between movie smoking and actual habitual smoking by children. Rather, it found that the movies encouraged teens to try smoking, and that more than 50 percent of teens who tried smoking did so after seeing smoking in movies. Other research shows that every day, about 2,050 teens aged 12 to 17 start smoking and that about one-third of them will die prematurely because of smoking-related diseases.

Mentoring Evaluations

Mentoring programs, especially those that pair one child with a supportive and responsible adult, have been evaluated and the results are reported in Mentoring: A Promising Strategy for Youth Development. Results include reduced substance abuse, improved educational achievement, less truancy, and more positive attitudes toward school and the future. These successes are associated with programs where the mentor has frequent contact with the youngster and a quality relationship is formed. Children whose mentors saw them infrequently or who did not form a positive relationship with them showed weaker or even negative impacts. Researchers also found that programs in which the needs and interests of the youth drove the relationship were more successful than programs in which the adults prescribed the goals.

Mentoring programs appear to have the most benefit for children who are most at risk, including those who come from disadvantaged family, school, and community situations. These children may lack resources and support groups available to other children. To obtain a copy of the full report, contact Child Trends at (202) 362-5580; Internet: www.childtrends.org.

Race and Arrests

A federal study completed by Carl Pope and Howard Snyder found "no direct evidence that an offender's race affects police decisions to take juveniles into custody in such incidents." The study examined a sampling of 102,905 juvenile offenders from the FBI's National Incident-Based Reporting System, covering youth arrested for serious violent crimes, excluding murder, in 17 states in 1997 and 1998. In this set of data, only 34.2 percent of all juvenile offenders reported by victims were arrested, meaning that juvenile offenders have odds of about two to one of not being arrested.

The data indicate that there could be indirect bias in that non-white juveniles are more likely to be arrested when the victim is white than when the victim is non-white. The researchers found that police arrested 35.9 percent of all white juvenile offenders reported to them and 30.4 percent of all non-white offenders reported to them. The complete study is available at www.ncjrs.org/pdffiles1/ojjdp/189180.pdf.

back to top