Good Essay On Young People In A Global Community

Introduction

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has a youth initiative whose mission is empowering and connecting the youth from various parts of the globe towards becoming active members of communities, schools and youth groups in order to prevent substance abuse. The youth initiative equips the youth with the requisite resources and opportunities to enable them make to make wise decisions for themselves. The youth initiative also imparts the necessary skills in the youth in order to enable them impact the communities positively on issues which are related to drugs. The youth initiative is premised on the acknowledgement of the great ideas and potential to make positive changes at both the community and global level. The youth initiative aspires to give the youth a voice through which they can influence the lives of their peers, local communities and the global community on issues which are related to drugs and crime. The youth initiative also empowers policy makers and the leaders of international organizations globally to adequately address issues which are related to crime and drugs.

Significance and Scope Drugs and Crime Globally

Firstly, it is necessary to understand why the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime creates initiatives to deal with drugs and crime together. Drugs and crime have a multidimensional relationship. In most jurisdictions, it constitutes a crime to possess, use, manufacture, sell or distribute drugs which are classified as drugs with potential for abuse. These drugs include heroin, cocaine, amphetamines and marijuana. The other relationship between drugs and crime is that drugs affect the behavior of the user, for instance by increasing and individual’s propensity to violence (Walters, 2014, pg.109). In the same respect, are illegal activities which are connected with drug trafficking. These illegal activities include drug-related homicide such as murders which are related to the distribution of drugs, murders which are committed due to the use of drugs and murders hat are committed in the neighborhoods where drug use is prevalent (Walters, 2014, pg.109).
The drug and crime issue is very significant on the global scene. Provisional data in the years leading to the millennium showed that users of methamphetamines had a higher propensity for violent crimes compared to users of heroine (Darke et al., 2010, pg.917). Studies have also reported that users of methamphetamines have a higher likelihood of being of being inebriated or intoxicated with the drugs when they are being arrested (Gizzi & Gerkin, 2010, pg.917). This presents problem that is in dire need of redress. This makes the premise of the youth initiative significant.
The scope of the imitative can be understood in two distinct ways. Firstly, the youth initiative does not deal with a specific drug. On the contrary, the youth initiative deals with drugs as a blanket problem for the youth. This widens the scope of the initiative. Additionally, the youth initiative also incorporates crime into its mandate. As highlighted above, there is a multidimensional relationship between drugs and crime. By incorporating the two aspects, the youth initiative will more likely develop solutions which are sustainable. Secondly, the youth initiative is not exclusive for a given locality. The initiative recognizes that drugs and crime are a global problem, and as such seeks to capacity build the youth from all areas of the globe.

Impact of Drugs and Crime on Global Youth Population and their Opportunities

Crime and drugs as a global issue has a great impact on the global youth population. The effect of drugs and crime take different forms. On the academic front, drugs and crime are associated with absenteeism from school, declining grades, increased propensity for school drop outs and truancy. Studies have shown that youth substance abuse is related to low commitment levels to education, higher school dropouts and truancy rates. The behavioral and cognitive problems which are also associated with alcohol and substance abuse impede the ability of the youth to learn. This presents a problem for the youth, especially when it comes to employment. This is because many of them do not have marketable skills while others have behavioral problems that prevent them from accessing employment opportunities.
With regards to physical health, many youth have been injured severally and others fatally because of accidents that are a result of operating vehicles while inebriated or intoxicated. Many of these youth have physical disabilities resulting from these accidents and diseases associated with drug use and abuse (Kim & Kim, 2008, pg.72). A large number of young people is involved in the consumption of alcohol and other potentially addictive drugs. These are at the risk of deaths as a result of illness, homicides, suicide and accidents (Hammersley, 2008, pg.153). This affects them negatively when it comes to taking opportunities for development. Another impact that is even more relevant now is the risk of contracting sexually transmitted, especially when the youth are involved in drugs where they share objects such as needles and razor blades. It is important that the youth are sensitized of the dangers associated with drug and substance abuse, and the effect that this has on their future opportunities.

Aims, Activities and Outcomes of the Youth Initiative

The mission of the youth initiative is empowering and connecting the youth from various parts of the globe towards becoming active members of communities, schools and youth groups in order to prevent substance abuse. The youth initiative equips the youth with the requisite resources and opportunities to enable them make to make wise decisions for themselves. The youth initiative also imparts the necessary skills in the youth in order to enable them impact the communities positively on issues which are related to drugs (UNODC, 2015).
The youth initiative has several activities. Given that it has global outlook, its activities also take an international perspectives. Some of the activities include contests aimed at raising awareness on the issues of crime and drugs, various discussions on contentious issues relating to drugs and crime. These activities have been used to effectively bring together like-minded leaders and policy makers from different countries with the aim of impacting the youth in their local jurisdictions. The activities, particularly the contests and discussion, have also improved the knowledge base of the youth on matters related to drugs and crime (UNODC, 2015).

Portfolio

The artifact below shows a poster that is used but the youth initiative in order to communicate the effect of drugs and drug abuse on various aspects of life. This particular poster explains the effects that marijuana has on the academic potential of an individual. The poster is designed in an informative manner with graphics, text and statistics. The desired effect of this poster is to teach the youth the dangers that smoking marijuana has, and the effect it has on someone’s grades.
The artifact below is a poster for a health-oriented approach that is used by the youth initiative to help the youth with information regarding drugs and crime. The poster highlights some information education and communication materials that are used in their various activities undertaken by the youth initiative.
This artifact is a picture presentation showing the role everyone can play towards enhancing the mental health and wellbeing of the youth who are involved in drugs and crime. The picture presentation shows eight elements that are needed in order to ensure that the affected youth have the correct support systems and mix of elements in order to ensure that they make a full recovery and become productive again. The poster presentation also requires the unity of purpose among those who are involved.
The artifact below also underscores a theme that has been recurring. The premise under which this artifact is designed is that the youth with problems with drugs and crime should not be isolated as such a move would be counterproductive. Instead, the family members should support the youth involved in order to motivate and enable them make a rehabilitate. In this regard, the pictorial also highlights the presence of myths that often confuse the youth involved as well as the family members. This pictorial emphasizes the need to break these myths and half-truths and instead get the real facts as related to issues on drugs and crime.
http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/prevention/youth-initiative.html
This website gives details about the youth initiative. It offers other resources through which one can understand the youth initiative. The website also offers narratives on the activities of the youth initiative, their aims and objectives.

Conclusion

The youth initiative is a program aimed at helping capacity builds the youth in order to prevent the increase in the use of drugs and taking part in drug-related crime. The program is premised on the knowledge of the potential of the youth as development partners in the community. The youth initiative deals with both drugs and crime owing to the multidimensional relationship existing between the two.

References

Darke S, Torok M, Kaye S, Ross J & McKetin R. Comparative rates of violent crime among regular methamphetamine and opioid users: Offending and victimization. Addiction. 2010; 105(5):916-9.
Gizzi MC, Gerkin P. Methamphetamine use and criminal behavior. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology. 2010; 54 (6), 915-36.
Hammersley, R. (2008). Drugs and crime: Theories and practices. Cambridge: Polity.
Kim, H., & Kim, H. (2008). Juvenile delinquency and youth crime. New York: Nova Science Publishers.
UNODC (2015). UNODC Youth Initiative. Retrieved form http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/prevention/youth-initiative.html
Walters, G. D. (2014). Drugs, crime, and their relationships: Theory, research, practice, and policy. Sudbury. Jones & Bartlett Learning.