Examining the Relationship Between Drug Availability and Students in School

Giovanna Harbor Crim 250W Pennsylvania State University Professor Laurie TA: Ian Greenwood December 7, 2012

Abstract
The purpose of this research is to focus on the relationship between drug availability and students in school. The study examines whether students who attend private schools are more likely to report drug availability at their school than public school students, students that attend schools that take security measures in the form of security guards or police are more likely to report drug availability at their school than schools that dont take security measures using security guards or police, and students that participate in after school activities are more likely to report the availability of drugs at their school than students who do not participate in after school activities. Gender is also examined in this study. In order to research these relationships, data was used from the National Crime Victimization Survey: School Crime Supplement, 2007 (NCVS). The NCVS sample were students 12-18 years of age who were in primary or secondary education with the intent on obtaining a high school diploma and had been enrolled in school six months prior to interviewing. After conducting a Chi-Square analysis results showed an statistical significance for the relationship between total number of drugs available in schools and whether or not your school is public or private, and the relationship between total number of drugs available at your school and whether or not your school takes safety measures using security officers and or police officers. When controlling for gender, the relationship between total number of drugs available in schools and whether or not students participate in school activities, for males there was an statistical significance but for females there was not a statistical significance. Going out into the communities and putting an dent in the availability of drugs will help control some of the drugs that enter schools.

Introduction
School for students in todays time seems to be more of a place that breeds socially undesirable behavior as opposed to an institution whose responsibility is to foster productive and responsible citizens. The use and sale of drugs in schools is an increasing problem and it makes schools a haven for this deviant behavior. When evaluating the use of drugs among students, private school vs. public schools students and schools with or without security have to be considered. This topic is important to research because the use and selling of drugs deters or interferes with a student from their primary focus of receiving an education as well as perpetuating the development of many other social skills. The data for this study was taken from the National Crime Victimization Survey: School Crime Supplement, 2007. In my research I am using this survey to examine the relationship of drugs availability among students. The potential drug availability ranges from illegal drug such as cannabis and heroin to legal drugs such as tobacco or prescription drugs.

Literature Review
Bracey (2010) explains that public schools have changed over the years due to rising violence. The high security measures that have been taken to control the violence in public schools have changed the social environments in schools. Bracey (2010) examines why it is important to get feedback from students in a high-security school environment. The samples groups for this study are students in Mid-Atlantic schools with high security: Cole High School and Vista High School. The data in the study was gathered using a series of interviews, ethnographic research and direct observations of the students to gather more information for the sample. The study found that, students

believe their schools to be a safe place and think many of the security strategies their schools use are unnecessary. Students further express feeling powerless as result of the manner in which their schools enforce rules and hand down punishments (Bracey, 2010: 365). This article is applicable to my research because it focuses on school security and the different measures that schools take to ensure safety in their schools. But more importantly it talks about the students response to school safety issues and are these extreme measures truly effective. Is having a high security school really controlling issues such as drugs in school, school violence, etc.? Braceys (2010) article gives us students perspectives, which are the people who are directly being affected by everything going on in these schools. Schools need ways to control availability of drugs and also ways to stop the other problems that can be associated with drugs such as violence. The research done by Lowry et al. (1999) examines, if school violence is associated with substance use and availability of illegal drugs at school (Lowry et al. 1999: pg.347). In the study Lowry et al. (1999) used the 1995 Youth risk Survey, which is an 88- item questionnaire. The data collected regarded, substance use on and off school property, availability of illegal drugs on school property and social violence-related behaviors and victimizations were collected among a nationally representative sample of high school students (Lowry et al. 1999: pg. 348). The stud also revealed that, violence and substance use prevention programs are needed in the urban, suburban and rural communities, (Lowry et al. 1999: pg. 350). These prevention programs will help reduce the involvement in violence and substance use that are school based but community based as well. This article gives insight into the effect of drug availability and deviant behavior in schools, whether or not

students have used drugs and asks students about their knowledge of drug availability in their schools. The article provides solutions to the issues of drugs and violence in school as well as programs that can be established to prevent these issues. This article also points out important issues that many people overlook, the use and sell of drugs is not only school based but community based as well. The use of drugs can change students habits and their performance in school. Monitoring the changes in habits among Italian high school students were explored in a study done by Molinaro et al. (2011). In the study high school students in Italy were surveyed. The sample size ranged fromwith a sample size ranging from 15,752 to 41, 365 high school students. The data for my research was obtained from the, Cross-sectional European School Survey on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD). The survey was performed annually over 11 years (1999-2009) with representative samples of youth attending high school Molinaro et al., 2010: 1). The independent, control and dependent variables was measured in terms of, prevalence (the proportion of a defined population who have used a drug once or more in a particular time interval) or in terms of frequency (how many times of frequency (how many times they used a drug within a defined time internal (Molinaro et al., 2010: 2). The major findings and conclusions of this research is that there is drug use among students in Italy. It was found that cannabis is the most used drug with heroin being the least used drugs. The study revealed that as far genders females are less likely than boys to use drugs. This article goes in depth on which drugs these students are using, from most used drugs to least used drugs. It shows trends of the drug use throughout the years that the study was performed. The study monitored the effect of drug use and the changes in the, habits in these high school students. Some

examples of these habits could reflect whether or not students were more likely or less likely to report drug use in their schools, or whether or not drug use could affect if a student participates in an after school activity. Another aspect of drugs use that is commonly not recognized as a drug is the use of tobacco among students. While it may not be recognized as an illegal drug it can cause the same dangerous side effects and sometimes worse side effects than the drugs that are illegal. The research done by Gong et al. (2006) studies the prevalence of tobacco use of students in public and private schools in China. The data in this study was gathered from a Cross-sectional survey of 2725 public and private schools students. The respondents of the study were eighth grade public and private school students. The variables in this study were measured by, Smoking measures (risk of susceptibility to smoking, smoking onset, ever smoking, smoking in the past 7 days and past 30 days, established smoking (Gong et al. 2006: 118). The research found that private school students were 3-4 times more likely to be currently smoking tobacco and a, heightened risk of smoking onset by age (Gong et al. 2006: pg. 120). Though tobacco may not be considered a drug, the act of students smoking tobacco can be see as deviant behavior, which very well falls under the same category of drugs. This study compares students from two different types of schools and uses measures to see which students are more likely to participate in this behavior. The results of this study very often shock those who are not familiar with the research, it is often though that private school students are stereotypically the better students and public school students are seen as the bad students. Not only are students participating in the use and abuse of illegal drugs, they are also abusing drugs that they have permission to have and are using them to cause harm to

their bodies. In a study done by Bukstein (2008) he explains that the misuse of prescription drugs among high school and college students are raising and doctors should pay more attention to the drugs they prescribe. Bukestein (2008) also says that doctors should, prescribe medications that have low potential for abuse (Bukestrin 2008: 54). Bukstein(2008) used a series of surveys to gather their information, the 2006 Monitoring the Future Survey (MTF), and a survey of a large group of university students. The respondents in this study are high school and college students. When surveying the students, Bukestrin (2008) asked the students questions such as which kind of drugs have they abused that were prescribed by a doctor. The finding in this study were that the, Misuse and diversion of prescription medication among high school and college students is an increasingly common problem (Burkestrin 2008: 58). This article point out that prescription drugs are a new form of drugs that are being abused. Not only does this article talk about high school students, it talks about college students who may have more access to these drugs and may be less likely than high school students to report the use or even availability of these drugs on or around campus.

Hypothesis
It important to make sure that schools serve as a safe haven for students. The availability of drugs in school is associated with many negative outcomes (i.e. violence) that make it impossible for students to have a safe and enjoyable learning environment, my hypothesis test for different situations that affect drug availability. Students that attend private schools are more likely to report use and availability of drugs at school than students that attend public schools. This hypothesis was disproved by the previous research I performed. Gong et al. (2006) study disproves that private school students

would be more likely to report this deviant behavior. The results of the research performed by Gong et al. (2006) revealed that private school students were 3-4 times more likely to be currently smoking tobacco, which is something I did not originally predict by my hypothesis. The fact that private schools student are more likely engaging in this behavior, they would probably be less likely to report what is going in their schools. Students who attend schools with security guards or assigned police are more likely to report the availability of drugs at school than schools without security guards or assigned police. The research I conducted does not necessarily support or disprove my hypothesis but gives insight on the issue. Bracey (2010) found that students felt that highsecurity school environment was unnecessary and made the students feel powerless. I expect to support this hypothesis because if the security measures taken are having such an impact on the students in these schools, they will be more cautious of what they are doing and less likely to participate in the violence or substance abuse. My final hypothesis is controlling for gender, students who are involved in after school activities are more likely to report the availability of drugs at school than students who are not involved in after school activities. While the study done by Molinaro et al. (2011) does not specifically control for gender, it did express that girls are less likely than boys to use drugs. The study focuses on the affect drug use can have on students habits that can be related to students and after school activities. I would support this hypothesis because I feel that students who participate in these after school activities have less times on there hands to focus on these deviant behaviors unlike student who have more time on their hands. As they saying goes, An idle mind is the Devils playground.

Methods
The National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS): School Crime Supplement, 2007 was a cross-sectional survey conducted from January, 2007- June, 2007. There were 11, 161 respondents with a 58.3% response rate to a survey that initially was done using a computer- assisted telephone interviews followed up by a computer-assisted personal interview, with the unit of analysis being individuals. The survey studied U.S. citizens 12-18 years of age whose households were in the rotating panel. The students were interviewed 7 times, for six months over a three-year period of time. The survey population was selected using a simple random sample, with the sampling units being households and individuals. In the study there were a series of proxy interviews used if the students were unable to respond. The conditions for the proxy survey were, 12 or 13 year old students who parents refused to have the interviewer speak to the student, a proxy interview would be conducted with the parent. If the student is between 12-18 years of age and wasnt present in the household during the time of the interview, the interview would be conducted with the parent. The last condition for the proxy interview was if the student was considered physically or mentally disabled the parents could respond. (National Crime Victimization Survey: School Crime Supplement, 2007) The purpose of this study was to obtain information about school-related victimization by gathering specific information about the student school life, personal life and demographics. The survey begins asking students about their attendance in school and whether or not they were physically in a school or home schooled. The survey then proceeds to ask the students about their school using categories such as school name and location of the school. The survey involves categories about students grade level, type of

school, bullying in school, school violence, drugs availability in school, family income, weapons, gangs, and etc. There are several demographic variables that can represent the respondents as a whole in this survey, such as race, income, grade in school and whether the area they live in is considered urban or rural (MSA status). The surveyed population in the NCVS study reported that 78.8% percent White, 13.9% Black and 7.3% of the respondents associate their race with something other than Black or White. Grades fifth and under made up 1.3% of the population, sixth grader 9.0% of the population, seventh graders 14.6% of the population, eighth graders 14.5% of the population, ninth graders 14.2% of the population, tenth graders 15.5% of the population, eleventh graders 13.7% of the population, twelfth graders 13.1% of the population and College/GED/Postgraduate/Other no eligible made up 3.9% of the population. In regards to if the students live in an rural or urban are the study asked students about their MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area) status. 27.2% of students City of (S)(MSA), 55.9% of students S (MSA) not city and 16.9% of students not S (MSA). Respondents were also asked about their families income level. 2.3% percent of the students involved in this study came from household incomes that were less than 5,000, 1.2% household incomes were between 5,000 and 7,499, 1.2% household income were between 7,500 and 9,999, 1.6% household income were between 10,000 and 12,499, 1.8% household income were between 12,50014,999, 2.0% household income were between 15,000 and 17, 499, 2.6% household income were between 17,500 and 19,999, 4.5% household income were between 20,000 and 24, 999, 4.6% household income were between 25,000 and 29,999, 5.9% household income were between 30,000 and 34,999, 5.6% household income were between 35,000

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and 39,999, 9.6% household income were between 40,000 and 49,999, 18.5% household income were between 50,000 and 74,999 and 38.6 of the students household income was 75,000 or greater. My research paper focuses on the availability of drugs in schools. Factors such as whether students attend private schools or attend public schools, schools with security guards or assigned police and schools without security guards or assigned police; students involvement in after school activities or students who do not participate in after school activities and the affect this has on the dependent variable. In my research gender is used as a control variable, where the respondents reply to what, What is your sex? The NCVS reports that 51.3% of students were male and 48.7% of students were female. Whether or not students attend public or private schools is an independent variable used in my study. The NCVS asked students, Is your school public or private? 91.8% of the students responded that they went to public school and 8.2% of the students responded that they went to private school. Safety measures in schools are represented in the survey by asking students, Does your school take student safety measures: security guards and or police? 69.0% of students responded that their school does use these security measures and 31.0% of students reported that their school does not use these security measures. Student participation in activities were also a measured used in this surveyed. The study asked students, During the school year, have you participated in any of the following activities sponsored by your school? 33.7% of the students responded never participating in activities, 33.8% responded participating in 1 activity, 18.9% participated in 2 activities, 8.6% participated in 3 activities, 3.6% participated in 4 activities, 1.1% participated in 5 activities, .02% participated in 6

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activities and .01% students participated in 7 activities. The dependent variable used in my research is the availability and use of drugs in schools. The survey asks students, It is possible to get (a list of different drugs) at your school? In the survey 80.6% of students says there are no drugs are available at their schools, 6.6% says 1 drug is available, 3.8% says 2 drugs are available, 2.9% says 3 drugs are available, 2.0% says 4 drugs are available, 1.4% says 5 drugs are available, 7% says 6 drugs are available, 3% says 7 drugs are available, 6% says 8 drugs are available, 4% says 9 drugs are available, and 7% says 10 drugs are available at their schools. For my research, I had to recode two of my variables. I recoded my dependent and variable and one of my independent variables. My dependent variable that asks, Is it possible to get (a list of different drugs) at your school? needed to be recoded because there were so many options to respond to for the questions. In my paper I explore drug availability using, none (81.4) and compared it to those students who reported the availability of 1 or more (18.6). Using this recode it combines all the categories that were listed as an option in the survey under this question. The independent variable I recoded asks, During the school year, have you participated in any of the following activities sponsored by your school? This variable needed to be recoded because of the many options that were listed for this question. I explored total activities students participated in using, no activities (33.7), 1 activity (33.8), 2 activities (18.9), and 3 through 7 activities (13.6).

Findings
Table 1 (see appendix) expresses the relationship between total number of drugs available at your school and whether or not your school is public or private. Findings

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show that 79.2% of students who went to public school expressed there was no drug availability in their schools, while 93.6% of students who went to private schools expressed that there was no drug availability in there schools. When the students were asked whether one or more drugs are available in their schools, findings show that 20.8% of students who attend public schools have 1 or more drugs available. While in private schools only 6.4% of students responded with 1 or more drugs being available in their schools. The relationship is statistically significant at the .001 level. [Table 1 Here] Table 2 (see appendix) expresses the relationship between total numbers of drugs available at your school and whether or not your school takes safety measured using security officers and or police officers. Findings show that 77.7% of student who said that there school does take security measures report there are no drugs availability in their schools, while 85.3% of students who said no their schools does not take safety measures report there is no drug availability in their schools. When students were asked if one or more drugs were available 22.3% of students who have security measures in their schools said there are 1 or more drugs available in their schools. While 14.7% of students who dont have safety measures in their schools said that 1 or more drugs are available at their school. The relationship is statistically significant at the .001 level. [Table 2 Here] Table 3 (see appendix) expresses the relationship between total number of drugs available at your school and whether or not you participate in school activities, controlling for gender. For male students 82.6% reported no drug availability in their schools, however as the number of activities increased to 3 through 7 the

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percentages decreased to 71.4%. 17.4% of males who reported 1 or more drugs available in their schools and as the numbers of activities increased to 3 through 7 the percentages also increased to 28.6%. For female students 82.7% reported no drug availability, however as the number of activities increased from 3 through 7 the percentages decreased to 78.8%. 17.3% of females reported 1 or more drugs available in their schools and as the number of activities increased from 3 through 7 the percentages increased to 21.2%. The relationship is statically significant for males at a .01 level and is not statistically significant for females at .689. [Table 3 Here]

Discussion and Conclusion

My researched focused on three different hypotheses all testing the same dependent variable about drug availability to students in schools using three different independent variables. In my first hypothesis I researched whether or not, Students that attend private schools are more likely to report use and availability of drugs at school than students that attend public schools. After doing a Chi-Square test, this hypothesis is supported at a .001 level. For public schools it was found that 79.2% of students reported no drug availability while 20.8% reported one or more drugs available to them in school. For private schools it was found that 96.3% of students reported no drug availability while 6.4% of students reported one or more drugs available to them in school. From these results it may show a trend that because public schools do have more availability to one or more drugs in their schools as opposed to private schools students they would be less likely to report it, but the study done by Gong et al. (2006) wouldnt support these findings. Gong et al. (2006) in their study found that private school students were 3-4

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times more likely to be currently smoking tobacco. Even though tobacco isnt a drug it is still a deviant behavior, which fits in the category of drugs. So from this study it could be concluded that since private school students are participating in this deviant behavior more they would be less likely to report it. In my next hypothesis I researched, Students who attend schools with security guards or assigned police are more likely to report the availability of drugs at school than schools without security guards or assigned police. After running a Chi-Square test the findings show that this relationship is statistically significant at a .001 level. This data reveals that 22.3% of student reported that their school has security guards and or assigned police and that there is drug availability while 14.7% of students reported that their school does not have security guards and or police and there is drug availability in their schools. Based off these findings it shows that the use of security guards presence does have somewhat of an effect of the availability of drugs in the schools. Research done by Bracey (2010) has proved that the security measures in schools are effective and that the students in the schools have taken notice to all the extreme measures that are being put in place to make sure the schools are a safer place. Even though the students felt that there schools were already safe and that all of the extra safety precautions were unnecessary, its important to hear that the students do take notice to whats going on in their schools as far as safety whether they feel its unnecessary or not. With the students being so aware of all the safety measures put in place they may be less likely to participate in this deviant behaviors since they know that there schools security measures are strict.

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My final hypothesis is controlling for gender, students who are involved in after school activities are more likely to report the availability of drugs at school than students who are not involved in after school activities. After performing a Chi-Square test my findings for males were statistically significant at a .01 level whereas for females it was not statistically significant at .689. The data revealed that for males 17.4% who participated in 1 or more activities there was drug availability in their school. It also showed that there was a positive correlation between drug availability and activities. As the activities increases from 3 through 7 so did the drug availability in the schools. For females it showed that 17.3% who participated in 1 or more activities there was drug availability in their schools. Just as in the finding for males as the activities increased from 3 through 7 for females so did the drug availability in their schools. I found it surprising after running the Chi-Square test that the relationship between school activities and drug availability in schools were only significant for males but not females since for both male and females as the activities increased so did the drug availability. Molinaro et al. (2011) proved that outcome is possible. In the research done by Molinaro et al. (2011) it found that for gender females are less likely than boys to use drugs. Based on the research I have performed there appears to be numerous opportunities to implement policies that can potentially decrease the presence, availabitly and use of drugs among students in schools. As a result of performing this research and in particular in Lowry et al. (1999) study. There are two things that struck me as significant in identifying ways to control availability of drugs in schools: (1) Minimizing drug availability and use needs to be a collaboration between schools and the community shouldnt only be school based but it needs to be community and (2) Violence and

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substance use prevention programs are need in the urban, suburban and rural communities. I believe that if drug availability in the communities can be controlled it may help control whats being brought into the schools. I agree with what Lowry et al. (1999) suggested, start building and implementing violence and substance prevention programs, educate students in school and in their communities as well. Implement these programs and make them mandatory in all communities not just communities that have high drug rates. As I have previously stated there are probably many ways to control drug availability among students in school, but I dont think the schools is the only place where the intervention needs to take place. We need to get at the root, which is in the communities. Its important to try and get a handle on drug availability in schools because its one of many things that are making schools a dangerous place. One of the many causes of violence in schools are drug related and nothing positive comes from it. We can not expect students to be able to learn in an environment where they have to worry about being tempted by their peers to use drugs, or continuous violence in their schools that makes the environment unsafe and deters students from being able to gain a proper education.

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References
Bracy L. Nicole. 2010. Student Perceptions of High-Security School Environemts. SAGE. April 20, 2010. pp. 365-393. Retrieved on October 2, 2012. http://yas.sagepub.com.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/content/43/1/365.full.pdf J. Gong, Chen. X, Guo. Q, Zhou. D, Palmer. P. H, Zhang. D, Liu. C, Xia. J, Johnson. C.A. 2006 Are private school students more likely to smoke than public school students in Chine? Preventive Medicine. August 2006. 43. pp.117-121. Retrieved October 2, 2012. http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/science/article/pii/S0091 743506000995 Lowry, Richard, Lisa R. Cohen, William Modzeleski, Laura Kann, Janet L. Collins, Lloyd J. Kolbe. 1999. School Violence, Substance Use, and Availability of Illeal Drugs On School Property Among US High Schoool Students. The Journal of School Health, Nov 1999, 6.9, 9. Retrieved on October 2, 2012 http://search.proquest.com.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/docview/215684780 Molinaro, Sabrina, Valeria Siciliano, Olivia Curzio, Francesca Denoth, Stefano Salvadori, Fabio Mariani. 2011. Illegal Substance Use among Italian High School Students: Trends over 11 Years (1999-2009). Plos One. June 10, 2011. 6. pp.1-9. Retrieved October 2, 2012. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3112153/pdf/pone.002048 2.pdf Oscar G. Bukstein. 2008. Presription Drug Misuse in Youths: Diversion of Prescription Drugs by High School and College Students Is on the Rise. United Business Media LLC. Jan. 2008. 25. pp. 54, 58-59. Retrieved on October 2, 2012. http://search.proquest.com.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/docview/204580477

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Appendix
Table 1. Cross tabulation presenting the relationship between total number of drugs and alcohol and is the respondents school public or private. IS YOUR SCHOOL PUBLIC OR PRIVATE? DRUG AVAILABILTY NONE COUNT 1 OR MORE TOTAL PERCENT COUNT PERCENT COUNT PERCENT PUBLIC 1781 79.2% 469 20.8% 2250 100.0% PRIVATE 233 93.6% 16 6.4% 249 100.0% 2014 80.6% 485 19.4% 2499 100.0% TOTAL

Table 2. Cross tabulation presenting the relationship between total number of drugs and alcohol and whether or not the respondents school takes safety measures: security guards and or police officers. DOES YOUR SCHOOL TAKE TOTAL STUDENT SAFETY MEASURES: SECURITY GUARDS AND OR POLICE? YES NO COUNT PERCENT COUNT PERCENT COUNT PERCENT 1238 77.7% 356 22.3% 1594 100.0% 732 85.3% 126 14.7% 858 100.0% 1970 80.35 492 19.7% 2452 100.0%

DRUG AVAILABILTY NONE 1 OR MORE TOTAL

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Table 3. Cross tabulation presenting the relationship between total number of drugs and alcohol and the number of school activities the respondents participate in. Controlling for Gender. SEX DRUG AVAILABILTY NONE 1 OR MORE TOTAL FEMALE NONE 1 OR MORE TOTAL NO ACTIVITIES 351 82.6% 74 17.4% 425 100.0% 291 82.7% 61 17.3% 352 100.00% 1 ACTIVITY 414 76.4% 91 18.0% 505 100.0% 300 80.4% 73 19.6% 373 100.0% 2 ACTIVITIES 194 76.4% 60 23.6% 254 100.0% 208 81.9% 46 18.1% 254 100.0% 3 THRU 7 ACTIVITIES 90 71.4% 36 28.6% 126 100.0% 164 78.8% 44 21.2% 208 100.0% TOTAL 1049 80.1% 261 19.9% 1310 100.0% 963 81.8% 224 18.9% 1187 100.0%

MALE

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