Title Psychotropic substances: use patterns and risk factors among young offenders in Lithuania /
Translation of Title Psichoaktyviųjų medžiagų vartojimas ir jų rizikos veiksniai tarp Lietuvos nepilnamečių nuteistųjų.
Authors Narkauskaitė, Laura ; Juozulynas, Jurgis Algirdas ; Prapiestis, Jonas ; Lukšienė, Aloyza
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Is Part of Acta medica Lituanica. 2006, vol. 13, no. 2, p. 105-108.. ISSN 1392-0138
Keywords [eng] Adolescents ; Drugs ; Custodial establishment ; Smoking ; Alcohol ; Imprisonment ; Modification of questionnaire
Abstract [eng] Adolescents are a social subgroup at a high risk of initiating or increasing their use of prohibited drugs. It is the first study focused on a particular population and the use of tobacco, alcohol and psychotropic substances in Lithuanian custodial establishments for young offenders. The aim of the study was to explore the extent of psychotropic substances used by young offenders in Lithuania and to identify the possible risk factors associated with the use of psychotropic substances, including home/family and wider social influences. Methods. A self-completed semi-structured questionnaire was modified to include questions about illicit drugs, tobacco and alcohol use, social behaviour and psychological environment. All offenders filled in the questionnaire in privacy. The study was conducted in a Lithuanian prison for young offenders in May 2003. The study sample comprised 115 adolescents. Results. The total sample comprised 111 young offenders. The age of adolescents imprisoned in the custodial establishment ranged from 15 to 17 years. The mean age of the respondents was 16.7 ± 0.6. years 78.4% of young convicts currently smoked tobacco. 90.1% of respondents had drunk alcohol in the month before imprisonment. 36% of young offenders had tried drugs at least once. By 9% of young drug offenders drugs were tried for the first time elsewhere, usually in the bathroom of a bus or railway stations, in a car. Conclusion. The results of this study showed that the majority of incarcerated adolescents (87/78.4%) currently smoked tobacco and 100 (90.1%) of respondents had drunk alcohol in the month before imprisonment. Such factors of delinquency as tobacco and alcohol use are predictors of criminality. The mean age at which the participants of this study began smoking tobacco and drinking alcohol was 11 years.
Type Journal article
Language English
Publication date 2006