Substance Use, Risky Sexual Behavior and Delinquency Amoung Students at A Historically Black College

This study aimed to explore the relationship between substance use and abuse, delinquency and risky sexual behaviors among college students at a Historically Black University (HBCU). This study recruited a total of 150 participants ages 18-24 from a Historical Black College in the Mid Atlantic. This study implemented a cross-sectional and quantitative design utilizing survey research to assess relationships between the independent variables under investigation. Pearson’s R correlational analysis were conducted in order to assess the relationship between substance use, risky sexual behavior and delinquency among the youth population. Results revealed that there was a significant positive relationship between substance use, dependency and delinquency. Results also revealed that there was a significant positive relationship between risky sexual behavior and delinquency and between substance use/ dependency and risky sexual behavior. Given the increase in opioid use among this population there is a need for further research. Citation: Brittany Taylor Jones, Sherry Eaton, Jonathan N Livingston, George E Cliette (2018) Substance Use, Risky Sexual Behavior and Delinquency Amoung Students at A Historically Black College. Addict drug sensitiz 2: 109 Addict drug sensitiz, 2018 Volume 1(1): 53-59 risky sexual behavior and a youth’s substance use have an influence on their participation in delinquent behavior. Given the increase in reported delinquency in the youth population there is a need to explore the factors that contribute to delinquency. This study aims to examine the relationship between sexual risky behavior, substance use/dependence and delinquency. The purpose of this study is to explore to what extent does sexual risky behavior influences a young adult’s participation in delinquent behavior. Another purpose of interest is to explore the role that drugs and/or alcohol play in a young adult’s participation in delinquent behavior. Without properly exploring the issue and the extent of the problem including underlying factors influencing delinquency, the issue cannot be properly addressed or properly corrected. That is why, according to Onifade, Petersen, Bynum, & Davidson [5] delinquency risk assessments are beneficial in determining which youths are at risk to reoffend and to then divert them away from offending. Therefore, exploring the factors that contribute to youth’s delinquency would be highly beneficial to assess what youth are at risk of not only being delinquent, but also who are at risk of being delinquent over time (i.e. chronic). Once we thoroughly address the contributing factors, can we began to introduce intervention and prevention strategies. In an effort to explore these factors, the study will explore the following research questions: 1.Does risky sexual behavior predict delinquency in youth? 2.Does substance use contribute to delinquency in youth? 3.Does substance use predict risky sexual behavior? Review of Literature This section focuses on the previous literature that provides the groundwork for the proposed study. This literature review provides insight into previous research into the factors that potentially influence young adults to exhibit delinquency patterns. This study also provides clarity into a conceptual model that will be used to provide an explanation as to why young adults exhibit delinquency patterns. Specifically, this literature review explores how sexual risky behavior influences delinquency patterns in young adults. The review also examines research on how and why young adults from low socioeconomic backgrounds are at risk of exhibiting chronic delinquency patterns. Finally, the literature reviews studies that investigate how substance use puts youth at a higher risk for displaying delinquent behavior. Risky Sexual Behaviors A factor that is explored in the literature as contributing to young adults venturing down the path to delinquency is their participation in other antisocial behaviors such as sexual risky behaviors. Today’s youth and adolescents face many different societal norm changes that tend to have a severe impact on their lives. As cited by Snyder and Sickmund [7], in today’s society fewer children are being raised by two-parent families. The absence of a social or familial support system could lead to youth participating in activities such as alcohol and drug use. Alcohol’s effects on a person’s mind and perception has been explored through pervious literature. A study conducted by Tina Zawacki [8] found that alcohol consumption in a laboratory experiment had causal effects on women’s sexual risk judgements. Another study conducted by Scott-Sheldon, Carey and Carey [9] titled “Alcohol and Risky Sexual Behavior among Heavy Drinking College Students” revealed several alarming statistics when it comes to risky sexual behavior and alcohol among college aged students. In particular, the study found that out of 663 qualified sexual encounters 526 of the encounters involved the use of alcohol. In addition, condom use was reported to being used in only 55% of the sexual encounters. Although condom use was typically reported, there was a reduction in the reporting of condom use when a female considered her partner a steady sexual partner. When alcohol was a factor within the sexual encounter the rates of condom use within steady sexual partners was also reduced. With alcohol consumption youth are less likely to participate in condom use which puts them at risk for contracting sexual transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS. In a study conducted by Monahan et.al [10] entitled, “Adolescent Pathways to Co-Occurring Problem Behavior: The Effects of Peer Delinquency and Peer Substance Abuse” concluded that there is an issue of substance use in adolescents. Statistically this substance use can lead to unlawful behaviors within that adolescence. Statistics from a 2010 Federal Bureau of Investigation report notes that 1,154,096 youth where arrested that year. According to this same 2010 Federal Bureau of Investigation report, “Between 1991 and 1997, the juvenile arrest rate for drug abuse violations increased 138%. The rate declined 26% between 1997 and 2010, but the 2010 rate was 76% more than the 1991 rate” (p. 20). It is widely held that most experimentation occurs during the adolescent period of a person’s life. As such, it is necessary to create awareness among teenagers to abstain from drug use and behavior which may lead to criminal and legal penalties. Low Socioeconomic Status/ Poverty The role of socioeconomic factors is essential to understanding crime and delinquency. Landmark studies such as Nye, Short and Olson [11], provided evidence that socioeconomic factors indicate more delinquent behaviors. Throughout history it has been discovered that crime rates follow a cyclic pattern and is generally based on the state of the economy. Therefore, if the economy is suffering and people are losing their jobs and struggling to make ends meet they are at a greater risk to commit crimes. It is then that more people tend to turn to illegitimate measures to meet basic necessities. Although there are specified government programs such as SNAP, WIC, etc., that unemployed or low-income people could employ in order to assure that those necessities are met, societal stigma surrounding receiving governmental assistance plays a significant role in a person not applying for assistance and trying to make it on their own. Also, if one is involved in the criminal justice system this is a disqualifier for some government programs. For some people, adolescence through young adulthood can be a difficult time socially. Most adolescence/ young adults are concerned with peer groups and maintaining their social net and the thought of anything jeopardizing their social livelihood is devastating. Thus, some youth would be reluctant and even embarrassed to disclose to anyone that their family is living in poverty and/or accepting government assistance. According to Snyder and Sickmund [7], youth living in the United States today face different complex issues. The authors also state that although poverty has declined today’s youth are more likely to live in poverty. Furthermore, media and television often sensationalize examples of poor youth attempting to keep up with the latest trends, by resorting to criminal and delinquent activity. This is an example of what scholar Merton [12] coined “Merton’s Strain Theory”. This theory combines sociology and sociological theory to explain the lack of impulse management and drives for certain materialistic things that motivate certain groups in society to participate in delinquent and criminal activity in order to obtain those things. Thus, as previously mentioned, a youth that is living in a household that is already experiencing economic hardships may turn to illegitimate measures in order to obtain items they want and value or simply to meet a basic need. Youth become attracted to the flashy gang member or drug dealer who appears to be benefiting from participating in a life of crime. They begin to internalize that participating in criminal activities allows them to have and get the things that they want and Citation: Brittany Taylor Jones, Sherry Eaton, Jonathan N Livingston, George E Cliette (2018) Substance Use, Risky Sexual Behavior and Delinquency Amoung Students at A Historically Black College. Addict drug sensitiz 2: 109 Addict drug sensitiz, 2018 Volume 1(1): 54-59 allows them access to things that they would not otherwise have the financial means to get. From a Psychodynamic standpoint Freud, [13] would incorporate coming from a low socioeconomic background with issues with youth’s psyche, or more specifically, their id. According to Freud, the id, which is present in the psyche at birth, has basic needs, urges and desires, such as food, drink, shelter, warmth, affection, etc. In the psychodynamic paradigm, the id operates on the pleasure principle wh