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Commission
Arizona Youth Survey 2002
High Level Overview/Fact Sheet
The Arizona Criminal Justice Commission (ACJC) in cooperation with the Arizona Department of Health Services (DHS) and the Governor's Office conducted a statewide survey to assess risk behaviors -- such as the use of alcohol, tobacco and other dangerous drugs -- among Arizona 8th, 10th and 12th graders in 2002. The study is legislatively mandated to biennially measure attitudes, prevalence and frequency of substance abuse among children in the state.
Arizona Youth Survey: 2002 Participation and Demographics
Our mission is to sustain and enhance the coordination, cohesiveness, productivity and effectiveness of the criminal justice system in Arizona
Understanding youth behaviors, attitudes, conditions or events -- known as risk and protective factors -- provides a basis on which to bring about positive change a m o n g Arizona's juvenile population. Risk factors are powerful tools for identifying and locating populations and individuals with a high potent i a l for becoming violent and/or using drugs.
Methodology:
The ACJC Youth Survey was randomly administered in Arizona's 15 counties representing 59 schools for a total sample of 12,203 students statewide.
Age of Initiation
Substance Use First Drink (More Than a Sip or Two) of Alcohol First Regular Alcohol Consumption First Cigarette Use First Marijuana Use 2002
13.05 14.41 12.38 13.52
Grade 8 Gender Male Female Ethnicity White African-American Hispanic Asian/Pac. Islander Native American Other Language Spoken at Home English Spanish Other Home Structure Both Parents Step-family Mother Only Father Only Other
49.1% 50.9% 40.9% 3.8% 35.8% 1.5% 15.2% 2.8% 79.6% 17.8% 2.6% 55.8% 0.3% 31.9% 6.0% 6.1%
Grade 10
49.0% 51.0% 55.1% 1.9% 30.1% 2.0% 8.0% 2.9% 81.5% 15.6% 2.8% 57.0% 0.1% 30.9% 6.5% 5.4%
Grade 12
50.0% 50.0% 57.2% 1.9% 25.7% 2.9% 9.1% 3.3% 85.0% 11.8% 3.2% 57.4% 0.2% 28.7% 6.7% 7.0%
Total
49.3% 50.7% 51.8% 2.4% 30.3% 2.2% 10.3% 3.0% 82.1% 15.0% 2.9% 56.8% 0.2% 30.5% 6.4% 6.1%
Risk and protective factors have been organized into four important areas of a young person's life: 1) community; 2) family; 3) school; and 4) within individuals themselves and their peer interactions.
Antisocial Behavior Frequency
T h e Arizona Youth Survey also asked students how often they participated in delinquent b e h a v i o r in the past year. Antisocial behaviors most often participated in by students were being suspended from school and being drunk or high at school. Antisocial behavior rates peaked in the 8th grade for five out of the eight behaviors. For t h e 8th grade, the greatest antisocial behavior participated in was being suspended from school. The antisocial behavior participated in by the most 10th and 12th graders was being drunk or high at school. The antisocial behavior with the highest rate of participation by all Arizona students was being drunk or high at school (19.6%). When students were asked if they had taken a gun to school, 1.2 percent (147) indicated that they had at least once in t h e p a s t y e a r. R a t e s o f t a k i n g a h a n d g u n to school peaked in the 8th grade at 1.4 percent.
The Prevalence of Delinquent Behavior, By Grade 8th # % Suspended from School Drunk or High At School Sold Illegal Drugs Vehicle Theft Arrested Attacked Someone with Intention of Hurting Carried a Handgun in Neighborhood Has Taken a Gun to School
765 646 239 137 382 483 283 59 18.1% 15.4% 5.7% 3.3% 9.1% 11.6% 6.7% 1.4%
10th #
495 871 423 153 341 457 214 57
12th % #
276 801 336 70 277 305 166 31
Total % #
1536 2318 998 360 1000 1245 663 147
%
12.9% 19.6% 8.4% 3.0% 8.5% 10.6% 5.6% 1.2%
11.6% 20.5% 9.9% 3.6% 8.0% 10.8% 5.0% 1.3%
8.1% 23.8% 10.0% 2.1% 8.2% 9.1% 4.9% 1.0%
Arizona Criminal Justice Commission 1110 West Washington, Suite 230 Phoenix, Arizona 85007 Toll Free 877.668.2252 (P) 602.364.1146 February 2003 (F) 602.364.1175 Review full report at: www.acjc.state.az.us
2 30-Day and Lifetime Use of ...
Alcohol Other Illicit Drugs Alcohol is still the most commonly used substance by AriA majority of students never try illicit drugs such as hallucinozona students. In the past month 46.4 percent of stugens, methamphetamines, cocaine, steroids, heroin, barbitudents have used alcohol, and 69.2 percent of students rates, and ecstasy. Total past month use was 2.6 percent for have used alcohol in their lifetime. hallucinogens, 3.3 percent for coOf the students included in the Arizona and National Lifetime UseGrade caine, 2.0 percent for metham8th 10th Grade 12th Grade A r i z o n a Youth Survey sample, phetamines, 1.2 percent for steArizona National Arizona National Arizona National 56.9% 50.5% 72.3% 70.1% 80.8% 79.7% 23.7 percent indicated they had Alcohol roids, 1.3 percent for heroin, 2.3 Cigarettes 39.6% 36.6% 49.8% 52.8% 61.1% 61.0% b i n g e drank in the past two Smokeless Tobacco percent for barbiturates and 3.1 25.9% 11.7% 23.2% 19.5% 24.1% 19.7% 26.6% 20.4% 41.6% 40.1% 50.8% 49.0% weeks. Use of alcohol increases Marijuana percent for ecstasy. Arizona 8th 11.9% 17.1% 10.4% 15.2% 10.1% 13.0% Inhalants with increased grade level; while Hallucinogens graders have experimented with 2.4% 4.0% 8.3% 7.8% 12.6% 12.8% 4.5% 4.3% 8.2% 5.7% 12.0% 8.2% 58.9 percent of 12th graders in- Cocaine e c s t a s y more than the other 2.9% 4.4% 6.8% 6.4% 8.6% 6.9% Methamphetamines dicated 30-day alcohol usage in Steroids seven drugs--5.5 percent of 8th 2.2% 2.8% 2.7% 3.5% 2.7% 3.7% 1.9% 1.7% 3.2% 1.7% 3.8% 1.8% 2002, only 34.4 percent of 8th Heroin graders have tried ecstasy at Sedatives 2.1% -5.7% -7.4% 8.7% graders indicated usage. The Ari- Ecstasy least once. For 10th graders, 8.2 5.5% 5.2% 8.2% 8.0% 12.0% 11.7% zona Youth Survey results, when Arizona and National 30-Day Use percent have tried ecstasy at 8th Grade 10th Grade 12th Grade compared to the national Monileast once in their lifetime. FurArizona National Arizona National Arizona National toring the Future (MTF) results Alcohol ther, lifetime use of ecstasy is 34.4% 21.5% 47.9% 39.0% 58.9% 49.8% continue to show that Arizona Cigarettes above the national average for 9.1% 12.2% 18.1% 21.3% 23.2% 29.5% 4.0% 4.0% 4.7% 6.9% 5.9% 7.8% es students, in the past 30 days, Smrojkealnas Tobacco all grades and more than double 14.3% 9.2% 22.4% 19.8% 25.4% 22.4% Ma i u have used more alcohol than stu- Inhalants in the 30 day use of 8th grade stu6.5% 4.0% 3.4% 2.4% 2.0% 1.7% 1.5% 1.2% 3.2% 2.1% 3.1% 3.2% d e n t s in the national sample. Hallucinogens dents. Hallucinogens were the 2.6% 1.2% 3.5% 1.3% 4.0% 2.1% Cocaine However, in looking at the lifetime Methamphetamines drug most often experimented 1.0% 1.3% 2.6% 1.5% 2.2% 1.5% 1.2% 0.7% 1.5% 0.9% 0.9% 1.3% results, Arizona rates and national Steroids with by 12th graders--12.6 perHeroin 1.2% 0.6% 1.4% 0.3% 1.3% 0.4% rates are more comparable. cent have tried hallucinogens at Sedatives 1.0% -2.6% -3.4% 2.8% 3.6% 1.8% 2.5% 2.6% 3.2% 2.8% Ecstasy least once in their lifetime. Marijuana In the past 30 days, 20.5 percent of 8th, 10th, and 12th graders have used marijuana at least one time. While cigarette use is usually higher than marijuana use, results from the survey indicate that more Arizona youth have used marijuana in the past month than have used cigarettes (20.5 percent compared to 16.5 percent). In each grade, Arizona 30-day and lifetime use rates of marijuana were higher than national Monitoring the Future use rates.
Arizona 30-Day and Lifetime ATOD Usage by Gender
Males
80.0%
Females
Total Arizona ATOD Use 30-Day and Lifetime
30-Day Usage Alcohol Smokeless Tobacco Cigarettes Marijuana Inhalants Hallucinogens Cocaine Methamphetamines Steroids Heroin
46.4% 4.8% 16.5% 20.5% 4.1% 2.6% 3.3% 2.0% 1.2% 1.3% 2.3% 3.1% 69.2% 24.4% 49.3% 38.8% 10.9% 7.4% 8.0% 5.9% 2.5% 2.9% 4.9% 8.3%
70.0% Percent of sample that have used ATODs
60.0%
50.0%
40.0%
30.0%
20.0%
10.0%
Sedatives/Barbituates Ecstasy Lifetime Usage Alcohol Smokeless Tobacco Cigarettes Marijuana Inhalants Hallucinogens Cocaine Methamphetamines Steroids Heroin Sedatives/Barbituates Ecstasy
ATOD= Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs
0.0% 30-Day Alcohol Use 30-Day Cigarette Use 30-Day Marijuana Use 30-Day Inhalant Lifetime Alcohol Use Use Lifetime Cigarette Use Lifetime Marijuana Use Lifetime Inhalant Use
Perceived Availability of ATODs and Handguns
According to survey participants, cigarettes are perceived to be the easiest substance to get--65.4% of students indicated that it was "Sort of easy" or "Very easy" to get cigarettes. The survey also found that 64.1% of students indicated that alcohol (beer, wine, or hard liquor) was easy to get, and 64.0% indicated that marijuana was easy to get. The substance perceived as being least available was cocaine and other drugs--only 32.8% of students perceived these drugs to be "Sort of easy" or "Very easy" to get. Also, 25.8% indicated that handguns were easy to get.
