By Benjamin Chambers, January 16 2009
The Children's Defense Fund has issued its State of America's Children Report for 2008, and it paints a stark picture, indeed. For example, see p. 49 for a graphic representation of how black youth are disproportionately arrested for drug offenses, even though other data indicates they use drugs at the same rate or less than most other teens.
- A recent study by Chris Ringwalt and colleagues at the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation has shown that only 10% of U.S. high schools are using evidence-based substance abuse prevention programs, though six evidence-based prevention programs are recommended by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Check out the study for what to do about it.
- John Walters, the long-time chief of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), has stepped down, and the agency's deputy director has stepped in temporarily. However, Join Together reports there's still no word on Obama's pick for the job, though former Rep. Jim Ramstad (R-Minn.), a vocal treatment advocate is rumored to be a front-runner.
- Half of all prison inmates are reportedly dependent on drugs, but fewer than one in five actually get treatment, according to a National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) report.
- An Arizona paper published a downbeat -- and unusually-lengthy look at teens in the Maricopa County, Arizona juvenile justice system, from the perspective of a Superior Court judge. You can get the flavor from the article's title: "Can Maricopa County’s Juvenile-Justice System Fix Troubled Teens? Rarely, One Judge Laments." The truly sad thing is, however, it leaves the impression that there's nothing to be done. Whereas, at Reclaiming Futures, we see so many reasons for hope -- starting with the kids themselves.
Updated: February 08 2018