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Treatment for addiction takes many forms and depends on the needs of the
individual. In accordance with the American Society of Addiction Medicine, we offer
information on outcome-oriented treatment that adheres to an established continuum of
care. In this section, you will find information and resources related to evidence-based
treatment models, counseling and therapy and payment and insurance options.
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Many juveniles who entered Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center in Illinois were diagnosed with a dependency to drugs or alcohol later in life, according to a study conducted by Northwestern Medicine.
The study, which evaluated more than 1,800 youths, found that more than 90 percent of males and nearly 80 percent of females who entered the facility between 1995 and 1998 picked up an addiction to substances such as alcohol, cocaine, marijuana and opiates.
Researchers conducted follow-up interviews with subjects at least nine times in the 12 years that followed. Marijuana was the most used drug for young adults, a nationwide trend that has continued into the 21st century for many teens. Alcohol became the most commonly used substance by their late 20s, the study found.
During that span, nearly 100 participants had died, primarily by homicide. Some were never again incarcerated, reintegrating within society. Others were not so lucky.
“Unfortunately, substance use disorders were the rule, not the exception,” said lead author Leah Welty, associate professor in preventive medicine and psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Feinberg School of Medicine. “These young adults already face substantial challenges in completing education, establishing careers and building families. Substance abuse further compromises their futures.”
Demographic Disparities
At its baseline, the study evaluated subjects aged 10 – 18. The median age of those at the start of the study was 15; at its conclusion, it was 28, said Welty.
There were stark differences among demographics. Males, for example, were more likely to pick up a dependency to marijuana or alcohol. Females were more likely to have had cocaine, opiate and sedative addictions later in life.
Non-Hispanic white youths had the greatest odds of picking up a cocaine addiction, abusing the drug at a rate that was 30 times greater than that of African Americans. Hispanics were the next likely demographic to pick up the addiction.
African Americans, on the other hand, were the least likely to do so, a surprising discovery to Linda A. Teplin, senior author of the study and Owen L. Coon professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
“Those findings are striking, considering the widely accepted stereotype of African Americans as the most prevalent abusers of ‘hard drugs,’” said Teplin. “We found that African Americans are less likely than other racial/ethnic groups to abuse hard drugs. Yet, African Americans are disproportionately incarcerated for drug crimes.”
The statistics underpin this claim. Though 14 million whites and 2.6 million blacks report using an illicit drug, the latter demographic are sent to prison for drug-related offenses at a rate 10 times that of whites.
In 2012, 70 percent of the state’s youth drug arrests occurred in Cook County; African Americans made up more than 70 percent of the 4,662 arrests, according to the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority.
Pat Milhizer, spokesman for the Chief Judge’s Office of the Cook County Circuit Court, said youths in the detention center are provided drug counseling and weekly group sessions, despite the staggering statistics found in the study. However, more preventive steps can be taken. And it starts with funding, said Sara Mascato Howe, the chief executive officer of the Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association.
“If the state were investing in prevention services and more treatment services, we would not be necessarily seeing the numbers we are seeing,” Howe told the Chicago Tribune.
In recent years, the funds available to states for the federal Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act have been slashed significantly. The state of Illinois has cut funding for juvenile service programs, notably in Franklin County, where the governor froze funding for a methamphetamine treatment program last year.
Over the last six years, the state has cut or reduced funding for prevention and treatment services by 40 percent. But Welty suggested drug and alcohol rehabilitation is paramount in the fight against addiction.
“Substance abuse is among the most serious health problems in the United States,” Welty said. “Rehabilitation and treatment services during incarceration and after would reach a sizeable proportion of people in need and would address health disparities in this highly vulnerable population.”
Medical Disclaimer: DrugRehab.com aims to improve the quality of life for people struggling with a substance use or mental health disorder with fact-based content about the nature of behavioral health conditions, treatment options and their related outcomes. We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals. The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider.
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The Associated Press. (2016, March 19). Study Released on Drug Use of Jailed Chicago Minors. Retrieved from http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Study-Releases-Findings-On-Drug-Use-of-Detained-Chicago-Minors--372709651.html
Kaba, M. (2014, April). Juvenile Justice in Illinois: A Data Snapshot. Retrieved from http://www.steansfamilyfoundation.org/pdf/Juvenile_Justice_in_Illinois.pdf
NAACP.org. (n.d.). Criminal Justice Fact Sheet. Retrieved from http://www.naacp.org/pages/criminal-justice-fact-sheet
Vivanco, L. (2016, March 17). Kids who end up in juvenile jail have high rates of drug dependency: Northwestern study. Retrieved from http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-cook-county-juvenile-detention-drug-abuse-study-met-0318-20160317-story.html
Welty, L. J. et. al (2016). Health Disparities in Drug- and Alcohol-Use Disorders: A 12-Year Longitudinal Study of Youths After Detention. Am J Public Health American Journal of Public Health. Retrieved from http://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/abs/10.2105/AJPH.2015.303032
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