NCJ Number
102175
Date Published
1985
Length
367 pages
Annotation
Data from 100 youths between ages 12 and 20 showed that both those involved in sports activities and those not involved were likely to be users of drugs, alcohol, or both, although the prevalence of use was higher in the youths who were not involved in either organized or recreational sports.
Abstract
The sample included a random sample of 40 students in junior and senior high schools in a northeastern U.S. city ('Yule City'), 40 youths known to be involved in drugs and crime, and 20 subjects known for delinquent activities. Subjects provided detailed information during structured interviews lasting an average of 5 hours each. Three-fifths of the youths were involved in sports. About half used hard liquor and two-thirds used beer. Half the organized sport participants, three-fourths of recreational sport participants, and 77 percent of nonparticipants used beer occasionally or regularly. Figures for marijuana use were 42 percent for organized sport participants, 54 percent for recreational sport participants, and 69 percent for nonparticipants. Athletes and nonathletes gave similar reasons for drug use or nonuse. Appendixes presenting methodological information, 264 references.