Pubdate: Mon, 29 Sep 2003 Source: Montgomery Advertiser (AL) Copyright: 2003sThe Advertiser Co. Contact: http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1088 Author: Nick Lackeos TEEN DRUG ARRESTS RANKED Randall Houston, district attorney for the 19th Judicial Circuit, which covers Elmore, Autauga and Chilton counties, displays a collection of confiscated drug smoking pipes. He says a recent report on increased drug arrests shows that autho rities are doing their jobs. -- Photos by Lloyd Gallman, Advertiser Depending on who you talk to, that Autauga County had the highest juvenile drug arrest rate in the state in 2001 is either cause for concern about a growing drug problem or proof that local law enforcement is on the job. Citing data in the 2003 KIDS COUNT Data Book, officials with Montgomery-based child advocacy group Voices for Alabama's Children said Autauga County had the highest rate of per capita juvenile drug arrests of Alabama's 67 counties. By comparison, Elmore County ranked 61st. Montgomery County ranked 35th. In 2001, the latest statistics available, Autauga County had 63 arrests of juveniles between the ages 10 and 17 on drugs and alcohol charges, for a rate of 1,047 per 100,000 population. Elmore County registered 80 arrests, for a rate of 1,007.6 per 100,000 population. There were 72 arrests in Montgomery County, a rate of 280.4 arrests per 100,000 population. JUVENILE DRUG STATS Data relating to juvenile substance abuse arrest rate (ages 10-17) in the 14th annual KIDS COUNT Data Book includes the following numbers of juveniles arrested for substance abuse in the tri-county area and how the counties rank among all 67 in the state. AUTAUGA COUNTY Arrests 2001 (latest data available): 63 Rate 2001: 1,047.5 arrests per 100,000 population Rank 2001 (among all 67 counties): 67 ELMORE COUNTY Arrests 2001: 80 arrests Rate 2001: 1,007.6 arrests per 100,000 population Rank: 61 MONTGOMERY COUNTY Arrests 2001: 72 arrests Rate 2001: 280.4 arrests per 100,000 population Rank: 35 SOURCE: The KIDS COUNT report, Annie E. Casey Foundation SYMPTOMS Adolescent substance abuse signs and symptoms include the following: SCHOOL/COMMUNITY BEHAVIOR Sudden or gradual drop in grades and achievement levels (reasons unclear) Skipping classes or entire day/ tardiness Disrespect/defiance toward teachers, rules and regulations Present in classroom, but inattentive Frequent suspensions/fights Shoplifting Delinquent behavior Difficulty studying or working at job Denies knowledge of ownership of drug paraphernalia Possession of alcohol or drugs at school Suspicion of under the influence at school PHYSICAL/PSYCHOLOGICAL CHANGES Easily upset (emotional state changes rapidly) Weight changes (drastic loss or gain) Changes in speech pattern (slurred speech) Burns on hands or clothing Withdrawal from peers and others Very defensive Stumbling, confusion, disorientation Mood and/or personality changes Obsession and preoccupation with chemicals Denial, minimizing, blaming, rationalizing Attention span shorter Blackouts Wearing clothes with drug symbols FAMILY/COMMUNITY BEHAVIOR Change in attitude toward rules, parents, brothers and sisters Isolating (staying in room) Breaking curfew, sneaking out, becoming more sensitive, many excuses for late hours Lying (blaming others for irresponsible actions) Violence (physical and verbal) Erratic sleeping/eating habits (too much or too little) Vagueness about company kept and where time was spent Strange telephone calls (parties hang up or refuse to be identified) DUI's (driving under the influence citations), unusual car accidents, extreme wear and tear on car, traffic tickets Unreasonable resentments Suspicion of money or alcohol missing from parents, brothers or sisters Stealing and/or selling possessions to be hocked for money (clothing, records, gifts) Manipulating parents, playing one against the other Seems to have money, but no job Has job, but always needs money Value conflict such as lying, stealing, stop going to church/ temple, family functions, meals FRIENDS AND PEER GROUP Change in peer group with little interest in old friends Peers have drug user reputation Parents don't know friends, can't get names or addresses Begins to associate with an older crowd SOURCE: Bradford Health Services Child advocates and drug intervention professionals say the findings indicate a growing drug problem and the report should serve as food for thought for communities. "We don't have numbers that can truly track juvenile substance abusers; we can only track the arrests," said Linda Tilly, executive director of VOICES. "We publish the data to encourage people in the communities to look at it and ask why." But while child advocates say the findings point to problems, local law enforcement officials take the "glass half full" approach, contending that it just means they are doing a good job. "What that report tells me is that we have the best arrest rate in the state," said Randall Houston, district attorney for the 19th Judicial Circuit, which covers Elmore, Autauga and Chilton counties. "We're doing our job." Autauga County Sheriff Herbie Johnson said the report shows the diligence of officers in the Prattville Police Department and deputies of the Autauga County Sheriff's Office. "I consider it a compliment to law enforcement in Autauga County," Johnson said, adding that juveniles abusing drugs and alcohol is "a universal problem" across the nation. "Anybody who tells you there is not a juvenile drug and alcohol problem in his county is telling you a lie," Johnson said. Ashley Dryden, 18, of Holtville and Krista Martin, 19, of Prattville said they do not think the counties are drug havens but they believe substance abuse is a problem. "It's a huge problem," Martin said. "About 90 percent of the people I know break the law, using alcohol or drugs. Even during the school week, I've seen (students) out there getting trashed." Dryden agreed. "I've seen some come to school drunk," she said. The two teens said Ecstasy is another drug making the rounds, especially at rave parties. "Ecstasy is more like a body-feeling drug" that enhances the pleasure from physical contact, Dryden said. "They call it the love drug. It's a touchy-feely drug." Of the whole illegal drug scene in the area, Martin said, "I think alcohol is a bigger problem because it's easier to get." Asked whether they think drug and alcohol use among teens is increasing or decreasing in Autauga and Elmore counties, Martin said, "If anything, it's getting worse." Martin said the two counties are not unique in that respect. She believes it is in all counties in the state, and even more so along the Gulf Coast areas of Alabama and the Florida panhandle. Anthony Reynolds, the Montgomery-based regional director of Bradford Health Services, which has 15 counseling centers across the state, said juvenile drug and alcohol use is a nationwide problem that crosses all socio-economic lines. "This is a Middle America drug problem," Reynolds said, explaining it is more widespread than two decades ago. "Twenty years ago we were seeing more fallout from the 1960s when it was mainly the rebellious, anti-establishment kids who were doing drugs. The generation of juveniles today grew up with drugs always being around." Reynolds said an annual back-to-school survey conducted by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University reports that teens who abuse drugs tend to either have a lot of stress, a lot of boredom, and/or have access to enough money to finance a drug habit. "High-stress teens are twice as likely as low-stress teens to smoke, drink, get drunk and use illegal drugs," Reynolds said. "Teens may feel stress about just keeping up -- whether it's keeping up socially or educationally. Some feel social stress from their friends and peers. Some feel stress from the pressure they are under to make higher grades. "What I find amazing is that they can go from just experimenting with drugs to getting into a full-blown addiction in just a matter of months." These handmade smoking pipes are drug paraphernalia confiscated by the Central Alabama Drug Task Force. Martha Ellis, executive director of PASS (Peers Are Staying Straight), a community drug prevention coalition program in Prattville, said substance abuse is a contributing factor to other problems such as high school dropouts, teen pregnancy and low birthweight babies. Ellis said that Autauga County has no bigger a drug problem than any other Alabama county. "They're out there. It's really a universal problem," she said. Law enforcement has helped address the problem. "The local undercover operation in which the authorities check the sale of alcohol to minors has really helped," she said of Prattville Police Department's ongoing monitoring program that has seen the number of sales to minors cut significantly. "That's one example." Houston said efficient law enforcement in regard to juvenile substance abuse cases in his circuit is the result of local agencies working hard at addressing the issue. He said they include the district attorney's office, the sheriff's departments in Elmore, Autauga, and Chilton counties, the municipal police departments in Wetumpka, Millbrook, Tallassee, Eclectic, Coosada, Prattville, Autaugaville and Clanton, and the Central Alabama Drug Task Force. Houston founded the task force when he wrote a grant application for it in 1990, securing $350,000 for the first year from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs. ADECA continues to fund the task force annually with grants ranging from $150,000 to $100,000 per year, he said. Houston said the KIDS COUNT study data is jaded, in his opinion, because not arresting teens who are violating substance abuse laws would give a county a better report. "They are trying to rank juvenile substance abuse," Houston said. "But what they are ranking is arrest data." The report does not show how many juveniles use controlled substances, including alcoholic beverages, rather it shows how many are arrested, Houston said. "In a big city like Birmingham, they have so much going on (in other crimes such as rape, robbery and homicide) that this might be considered a low priority" by the local law enforcement agencies and prosecutors, Houston said. "I don't think Autauga County or Elmore County are any worse than any other counties in the state," he said. "There is nothing unique about Elmore or Autauga counties that makes either county a drug haven." Whether you consider the county a drug haven or not, Dryden said, drug and alcohol use is prevalent. "It's a big party scene," she said. "They do it (become under the influence) to get away from it all." Martin said, "It's an acceptance thing." Dryden said she believes some teens continue drugs or alcohol through high school because "I think they come to like it. Then it becomes a dependency thing." "The bottom line is kids are going to experiment with alcohol and drugs," Dryden said."I think parents should be more involved in knowing what their children are doing." - --- MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart