Often when dealing with social ills, such as mental illness, substance abuse, adolescence delinquency and impulsivity, it should be noted that there is a level of co-morbidity between these issues. The case presented clearly indicates that the youth in question, Michael, a seventeen year old male, has a number of issues in his background that predispose him towards adolescent delinquency and impulsivity. These include a family background that includes substance use disorders, as well as domestic violence. Furthermore, the family struggles with socioeconomic issues due to the low educational attainment of Michael’s mother. This paper will discuss the link between mental illness, substance abuse, adolescence delinquency and impulsivity.
In the case study, Michael is seventeen and on probation for assault and marijuana possession. He is also very angry, according to the information provided. Michael’s home life is highly unstable. His parents have a pattern of breaking up the family; they are currently finalizing a divorce. Furthermore, Michael’s mother has been a victim of domestic violence by Michael’s father. While Michael may or may not have witnessed episodes of domestic violence, it is highly likely that Michael is aware of his mother’s abuse. “Exposure to violence remains a pervasive public health problem for adolescents in the United States” (Shukla & Wiesner, 2013, p. 1). According to this study, adolescents who were exposed to violence at home were strongly predicted to develop juvenile delinquency. However, witnessing violence in the community was not associated with the development of juvenile delinquency. Furthermore, witnessing violence during one’s adolescence is actually more likely to result in adverse outcomes than if the individual witnessed it during his or her childhood years. This indicates that the adolescent period is actually the more formative years when associated with violent behaviors (Shukla &Wiesner, 2013, p. 2). This may be due to a level of heightened sensitivity in adolescents, as opposed to children. This is particularly worrisome because it has been estimated that between seventeen percent and twenty-five percent of adolescents are witness to some level of violence in their home lives (Shukla & Wiesner, 2013, p. 3).
It is also important to recognize that some children experience polyvictimization. This is the term that explains that individuals may be victims to multiple types of abuse. For instance, a while may be exposed to domestic violence against a parent, as well as being physically abused. Furthermore, that same child may also be sexually abused. Unfortunately, these are patters that occur with an alarming frequency. “A notable characteristic of polyvictimization is the far greater level of additional lifetime adversities and levels of distress these children experience. Polyvictims were more likely to have had other kinds of lifetime adversities such as illnesses, accidents, family unemployment, parental substance abuse, and mental illness” (Finkelhor, Turner, and Ormrod, 2011, p. 5) Mental illness will be addressed later in this discussion.
However, violence is not the only possible connection as a comorbid factor for the development of delinquency during one’s adolescence. Substance use is also associated with a high level of juvenile delinquency, as well as criminal behavior in general. According to the one article in the assigned readings, “Correctional professionals must understand addiction and addictive behavior given the large number of offenders with substance abuse disorders” (Cellini, 2005, p. 3). According to this article, ninety-two percent of all adolescents arrested had tested positive for marijuana. Furthermore, fourteen percent tested positive for cocaine, a drug that is highly addictive. This is not the only article to support that there is a connection between drug use and juvenile delinquency and impulsivity. Another article found also indicated that drug use and delinquency are “co-occurring problems” Furthermore, these problems are more likely to occur in conjunction with each other during the period of adolescence than during earlier or later periods of life (Monahan, Rhew, Hawkins, & Brown, 2013). According to the article by Cellini (2005), the brain under the influence of drugs is more likely to respond in a hypersensitive manner under stress. Adolescence is already known as a period in which individuals push boundaries and tend to respond in an impulsive manner. This tendency, combined with the use of drugs, can help to explain why delinquency in juveniles is likely to be associated with drug use. Furthermore, if the individual has been exposed to violence at home, he or she is more likely to respond in a violent manner. The individual has, unfortunately, learned at home that violence is the way to handle disagreements and issues. Of course, it is not; however, that is not the lesson that the home life has taught these individuals.
Mental illness is also associated with substance use disorder and juvenile delinquency. Mental illness may be associated with the use of drugs as well. It is often associated with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adolescents (Cellini, 2005, p. 3). This disorder tends to increase the likelihood that the individual will engage in drug abuse, as well as be impulsive. Furthermore, the parents may suffer from mental disorders as well; this would increase the difficulty for the child in the household.
Unfortunately, many adolescents who develop delinquency issues suffer from a number of co-issues as well. These include violence in the home, as well as substance use disorders and mental disorders. As a result, these individuals often require comprehensive rehabilitation to ensure that their issues are resolved. In this manner, one hopes that the individual can leave a life of delinquency and become a productive member of society.
- Cellini, HR. (2005, May/June). Addictive drugs and the brain. Offenders’ Program Report, 3.
- Finkelhor, D., Turner, H., Hamby, S., and Ormrod, R. (2011, October). Polyvictimization: children’s exposer to multiple types of violence, crime and abuse. CDC. Retrieved from: http://www.unh.edu
- Monahan, K. C., Rhew, I. C., Hawkins, J. D., & Brown, E. C. (2013). Adolescent Pathways to Co‐Occurring Problem Behavior: The Effects of Peer Delinquency and Peer Substance Use. Journal of Research on Adolescence.
- Shukla, K., & Wiesner, M. (2013). Relations of delinquency to direct and indirect violence exposure among economically disadvantaged, ethnic-minority mid-adolescents. Crime & Delinquency, 0011128713495775.
