Лекция: American Youth.
What is it like to be a young person in the United States?
At 18 years of age, young people in the United States can take on most of the rights and the responsibilities of adulthood. Psychologists say that most young people experience conflict during this period of their lives.
To some observers, teens today may seem spoiled (undisciplined and egocentric) compared to those of earlier types. The reality, however, is different. Changing family conditions, mobility of families and unemployment are just a few reasons why some young people try to escape reality by turning to alcohol or drugs. However, most young people in the United States do not have problems with drinking, drug abuse, teen pregnancies or juvenile delinquency. Drug use has decreased among young people within the last 10 years, though alcohol abuse has increased.
Many young Americans are joining organizations to help teenagers stop drinking and driving. 1000 of teenagers have joined Students Against Driving Drunk (SADD). They sign contracts in which they and their parents pledge not to drive after drinking. Young people with drug problems can also call special telephone numbers to ask for help.
Aside from drug abuse, another problem of America’s youth is pregnancy among young women. The numbers of sexually active teens also increased. Many community programs help cut down on the numbers of teenage pregnancies. Some programs rely on strong counseling against premarital sex and others provide contraceptive counseling.
About one million young people run away from home each year. Most return after a few days or a few weeks, but a few turn to crime and become juvenile delinquents. In 1989, approximately one-third on those arrested for serious crimes were under 18 years of age. Among the causes are poor family relationships, bad neighborhood conditions, peer pressure and sometimes, drug addiction.
Laws vary from state to state regarding juvenile delinquents. Once arrested, a juvenile must appear in a juvenile court. Juvenile courts often give lighter punishments to young people than to adults who commit the same crime.