YOUTH INVOLVEMENT IN D.RUG ABUSE, ADDICTION AND CRIME

A CASE STUDY OF PRISON INMATES IN ENUGU STATE.

Abstract

The study investigated drug abuse, addiction and crime using prison inmates (convicts and awaiting trialATM) in Enugu State prisons as a case study. Descriptive survey research design was usedforthe study with the inmates in Enugu and Nsukka prisons as the population. Data was collected with a four-point likert type questionnaire from two hundred male and forty six female youths who constituted the sample. The data were analyzed using mean and real limit of numbers for the research questions. A mean of 1.00-1.49 is regarded as non use of drugs, 1.50-1.99 depicts drug use, 2.00-2.49 = drug abuse while 2.50-3.00 =drug addiction. The t test statistics was used to test the null hypotheses, at 0.05 level of significance. The study revealed that many youths tend to be addicted to alcohol, cigarettes and marijuana. The crimes committed ranged from robbery, murder, stealing and wandering about. Friends
have some influence on the youths in drug addiction while there is significant difference between the crimes committed by youths based on gender. Based on the above findings, recommendations were made.