Monday, September 30, 2019

Vincent Van Gogh

Vincent Van Gogh, genius or madman? ‘The connection between genius and mental illness is paradoxically both clearer and murkier than that between genius and high intelligence. ‘ (Published on March 31 , 2011, Andrew Robinson) Van Gogh, possibly the most famous example of a known genius who beard the title of a mentally ill individual, had severe depression, inflicted serious injury on his own earlobe in the year of 1888, admitted himself to a mental facility, and shot himself in 1890, yet he is one of the most respected and well known men of our time, all because of his unmistakable and ingenious art work.Van Sago's recurrent mental derangement's were never in suspicion, not by himself nor his family. However, his sanity was never questioned either. Vincent Van Gogh was a known madman; it was never in question to anyone, not even himself, â€Å"l am unable to describe exactly what is the matter with me; now and then there are horrible fits of anxiety, apparently without cause, or otherwise a feeling of emptiness and fatigue in the head†¦. â€Å". (Vincent Van Gogh, date unknown) Van Gogh had been diagnosed with many conditions, illnesses and mental instabilities.Some being epilepsy, bipolar disorder, depression, psychotic episodes, and unpredictable mood swings. Doctors including Dry. Person and Dry. Felix Ere believed that Van Sago's epileptic seizures were occurring due to temporal lobe epilepsy. He was born with a brain laceration that was thought to of been intensified by his recurrent consumption of absinthe, this is what is believed to have caused his epileptic condition. Enthusiasm and dedication were standout characteristics in Van Sago's personality.Impulsive behavior was a prominent factor in his life, though hose periods were on every occasion trailed by depression and exhaustion. Therefore, doctors and specialists concluded that manic depression or bipolar disorder was a component of Van Sago's life. His bipolar disease is also wh at lead to his suicidal demise. Vincent Van Gogh was also diagnosed with Hyperplasia, which is a condition making ones desire [need to write intensify to an almost continuous level. This disorder is commonly linked to another of his conditions; epilepsy.The assortment of over 800 letters that Van Gogh wrote throughout his life time could be recognized and attributed to this condition. It has never been an uncertainty in our society that Vincent Van Gogh is in fact one of the most famous genius' within his art work; his art is known worldwide as astounding pieces of work. Although he was not recognized as a genius in his day, and his work was worth next to nothing, today he is seen as one of the greatest artists of both his and our time, and his paintings are worth millions.Not only was Van Gogh introducing a new style of art, experimenting with new concepts and colors but he was the beginning of a new era; expressionism. This is not only a remarkable point in history but also suppor ts the act that Vincent Van Gogh was in fact a genius; for one single man began a whole new look into art. The society he lived in was not ready for his non-conforming behavior and harsh reality of what truth lied behind his paintings.Not only with the realistic colors he used but also the concepts; he was not only painting portraits as everyone else was, however he rebelled against tradition and began painting landscapes and everyday images such as drawings of gardens, sunflowers, Patience Scalier, Eugene Boca, the Rollins, cafes, his room and his chair; all incredibly alive ND beautiful. Genius by definition is, ‘somebody with exceptional ability, especially someone whose creative achievements gain worldwide recognition'.It is no argue that Vincent Van Gogh met these requirements. It is believed that one of Van Sago's numerous physicians, Dry. Cachet treated his condition of epilepsy with a prescription drug by the name of digitalis. The drug has been known to cause one to s ee either yellow spots, or to view things in yellow. This is a very possible reason as to why Van Gogh painted a lot of yellow. A popular drink in his time was absinthe, and Van Gogh rank a substantial amount of it, however what most people don't know is that there is Outshone present in the liqueur.Outshone is a toxin that when taken in high doses can, once again cause one to view things in yellow. Physicians who have studied the artist have conflicting thoughts on whether this is what caused his attraction to yellow or not. Van Gogh used lead based paints, so there is differing assumptions to whether or not he suffered from lead poisoning by biting on paint chips. One of the effects from lead poisoning is that is causes one to see circles around objects; much eke halos, which is present in his famous painting ‘The Starry Night'.Van Sago's paintings are purely the reason he is known as a genius and the fact that his mental derangement's assisted with the completion of his wor k and to the standard it was, and also the way it was done supports the fact that he is a genius because he was a madman. Vincent Van Gogh; a man well recognized as a genius who beard the label of a mentally ill human being. Throughout his life he created some of the most high end paintings and drawings, and he would not have done so without some of the mental imbalances that were present in his life. Vincent Van Gogh Vincent van Gogh was an interesting man. Vincent van Gogh had one of the strongest impacts on the art world in the sass. He was not recognized until his death and he sold only one painting when he was alive. This painting was â€Å"The Red Vineyard†. Van Gogh suffered from mental illness and depression. No one knows how he got them but these illnesses have made his art better. He used his emotions and depression in his artwork. Every single piece of his depicts his depression and sorrow. Vincent van Gogh has impacted the world with his paintings. He was a post-impressionist minter whose work, notable for its beauty, emotion and color, highly influenced 20th- century art. â€Å"(www. Biography. Com/people/Vincent-van-Gogh-951 5695, Unknown Author) Most people know him for his famous painting â€Å"Starry Night†. Van Gogh has left his mark on the world and art itself. Vincent van Gogh was born on March 30, 1853 in Holland. As a child van Gogh had a very normal life. He g rew up in the village of Grotto Evader. His parent's were Theodore, who was a Protestant minister, and Anna Cornelia van Gogh. Vincent was named after his older brother who died when he was born.His mother never got over her first son's death and never grew to love van Gogh. When he was young, he started forming mental problems. Van Gogh had two brothers and three sisters. Their names were Thee and Core and Elisabeth, Anna and WI. Vincent was the oldest of his family. He loved all of his siblings but he grew the strongest relationship with his brother Thee. When he was a child, his mother taught all the children how to draw and paint with watercolors. She also taught them how to love the environment and the outdoors. Vincent loved the outdoors and would always go on walks.On these walks, he would come across the cemetery and in the cemetery was Baby Vincent grave. The site of seeing his own name and birthday on the grave frightened van Gogh. Whenever he saw this he would think about how perfect his older brother was and how he will never reach that status and how he will fail. Vincent van Gogh went to school like any other kid in the sass but because of financial problems, he had to drop out and start working. When he was 16, he started working at the Hogue gallery which was run by Gospel and Company. His Uncle Cent, who was an art dealer himself, got him a Job.Being away from his family, van Gogh was at the height of his life. He started to gain more knowledge in every aspect. He began to read many books and he learned how to speak French, English and German. Vincent worked there for six years and on his fourth year at Gospel and Company, he transferred to London, England. When he was 20 years old, he fell in love with his landlady's daughter. Her name was Egg ©nine Layer. Van Gogh asked her to marry him but he was turned down and rejected. She said that she was already secretly engaged. Vincent van Gogh was infuriated by this.He threw away all of his books side the Bible and decided to devote himself to God. At work, Vincent started to argue and fight with his coworkers and the customers. When he turned 23, he was fired from Gospel and Company. He then decided to go to school to become a minister like his father. Van Gogh was very tough on himself and whenever he studied wrong, he would punish himself. These punishments would be starving himself or staying outside for the night in the cold. He was very stubborn and he refused to take one of the exams. No schools would take him because of his stubbornness and his refusal.Van Gogh still believed that he was meant to be a minister so went to preach to the miners of Baronage. While he was there, he sketched most of the things he saw. He gave his house to a sick woman and slept in a shack. He helped the miners but while he was helping them, he was suffering. The miners called him the Christ of the coalmines. Vincent van Gogh got pleasure from suffering. He felt that when he suffered, he w as taking some ones hurt away from them. The church felt that the Job wasn't safe for him so they let him go. Van Gogh had no place to live and had no money.He thought of himself as a failure and he would always look at the sketches of the miners and wonder how he could help people like that. He then decided that he wasn't going to help them by being a minister, he was going to help them through his art. He decided to become an artist. Even though he had no artistic training, he gave everything his all. Vincent wrote to his brother Thee, asking him for some support. Thee agreed and Vincent moved back to Holland. At the age of 28, he finished his first oil painting. Thee was a respected art dealer at Gospel and Company so every painting van Gogh would make, he would end it to Thee.Dan Gogh then fell in love with his cousin, Kate. Her husband had just passed away and she was grieving his death. Van Gogh asked her for her hand in marriage but she denied. She then ran away from Vincent but, like last time, he could not take no for an answer. He chased after her back to her home in Amsterdam. Van Gogh talked to her family and they explained to him that she didn't want that relationship. His family was very disgusted with him for his actions. Vincent did not want to live at home anymore so he moved to the capital city of South Holland, The Hogue.In the city, he met Classic Maria Horn. She was an alcoholic and a prostitute and Vincent soon fell in love with her. She also had a four-year-old girl and was pregnant. She became sick and stopped prostituting. Because she could not work anymore, she was Vincent model for all of his paintings. In 1882, Vincent van Gogh found out he had syphilis. Classic started work again and Vincent became very depressed. They started fighting and Vincent depression got worse. Van Gogh left Classic and moved to Drenched. If he didn't leave Classic, his family would cut him off and not support him with any money.In Drenched, he began to pai nt the people and the landscape. This is where he finished his first painting. â€Å"Fulfilling his desire to paint figures, and 1885 van Gogh completed his first major work, The Potato Eaters which proved a unknown author) Thee received â€Å"The Potato Eaters† and said it was too gloomy and dark. Thee said that the dark colors that Vincent used were not popular anymore. People in art started using bright colors and boldness which was called Impressionism. Van Gogh decided to go to the Academy of fine arts in Antwerp. He discovered Japanese art and really admired it.He learned a lot in art school but decided that it wasn't for him and moved to France. In France, van Gogh started painting like the other Impressionists. He was invited into a circle of Impressionist artists. This group consisted of Claude Monet, Camille Pissarro, Edgar Degas, and Georges Serrate. Vincent began to use a brighter palette in all of his art pieces. Impressionist artists would only paint when the l ight was perfect and when they were in the mood. Vincent felt that it didn't matter and he would paint all day in any type of light. He also created the technique of using small and short brushstrokes.Vincent van Gogh created a new type of art, which was Post- Impressionism. He put more emotion in his art and was more experimental with his paintings and his techniques. Painting was the only thing that kept him sane most of the time. Van Gogh felt that he was more dedicated than the other artists. He and his artist friends would pose for each other to save money. They dedicated themselves to art and nothing else. In 1886, Vincent became very interested in Japanese prints. For two years, he painted like the Japanese. He moved into this yellow house in Arles because he was told the light was Just like Japan's.Vincent used his money for paint and not food. He lived off of bread and coffee. At night you would drink absinthe which made him feel strange and start hallucinating. In the day Vincent would find himself eating paint and drinking turpentine. Vincent van Gogh started to go crazy. His brother was worried about him so he paid Vincent friend, David Gauguin, to watch after him. David was also an artist and they painted together but they would always fight. David lived with van Gogh for a month but couldn't take it anymore. After an argument, David walked out of the house and went on a walk.He didn't think anyone was with them but then he heard footsteps and Vincent was right behind him holding a knife. Van Gogh went home and later that night he paid for a prostitute named Rachel. Vincent head was bleeding and he handed Rachel a part of his ear. When he handed her part of his ear, he said â€Å"keep this object carefully† and walked back to his house. He was found by the police and they checked him into the hospital. Thee came to visit him and Vincent was suffering from loss of blood and seizures. Van Gogh was released from the hospital was all alone.Davi d left the house ND Vincent became very depressed again. He tried to paint to make him feel better but it didn't work. The whole village of Arles made a complaint that van Gogh was a danger to the people in the town. Vincent was kicked out of Arles and checked into a clinic. Even though he was in the asylum, he still painted. He started to paint the hospital gardens and in November of 1889, he was asked to send in paintings to Brussels for an exhibit. He only sent six paintings and two of them were â€Å"Starry Night† and â€Å"Irises†. Throughout those 10 years, van Gogh painted about 900 painting.Vincent mental problems seemed to be getting better so he left the clinic. Van Sago's nephew was born on January 31, 1890. His nephew was named after him and to think Thee and his wife, he made a painting for them. This painting was named â€Å"Blossoming Almond Tree† and it symbolizes new life. During that same time, Thee sold one of Vincent paintings for the first t ime. Van Gogh moved to the country in Avers and his depression began to get worse. On July 27, 1890, Vincent went on a walk to a wheat field and shot himself. The gunshot did not kill him instantly and he found his way back to his apartment. Vincent van gogh There are a umber of things in this painting; this painting shows us that she is very poor. There are no flowers, lamps and garden. The house is the bare minimum; it shows the 19th Century things for the poor in the countryside were dark. Self-portrait, this painting shows us that he seems to frown and wrinkle his brow in concentration, he looks very lonely. He use orange dots in the background seem to reflect the orange red of his beard. He Inner is melancholy but he use the most warm color-orange, he should be eager to get love.I think that's almost impossible without knowing his name. He is one of the greatest artists in the world. He was born in 1850 three or two someday, whatever. And as a lot of people know, Van Gogh is the oldest child in their family, but actually, his parent's had a little baby before him, the baby died the same day Just one year before Van Gogh was born. So, they gave the two babies a identical name, this is why sometime people will call Van Gogh †the second Vincent. Sources: Chapter 4, Chapter 6, Chapter 1 1 . Vincent van gogh Vincent van Gogh BY allele Vincent Van Sago's Work of Art Ann. Lee Humanities 1301 Professor Philip Nonuser 02 December 2013 Professor Nonuser Vincent Van Gogh is a unique and outstanding artist who had a dramatic life that affected his paintings. At the age of twenty-seven, Vincent decided to devote his life for art because Vincent believed in the power of art. To him, a work of art, whether drawing or painting, had as striking an â€Å"effect† as a live sermon or a letter†( Euchre 17) . Van Gogh started his work of art with drawing.Vincent sent Thee, is brother, some of his drawings such as Au Carbonate (At the Coalmines), Miner Shouldering a Spade or Men and Women Going to the Mines. He drew everything he saw in everyday life. The miners and weavers usually appeared in his drawings. In the letter to his brother, Thee, he told him about his sympathy for these people :† I should be very happy if someday I could draw them, so that those unknown or little- known typ es would be brought before the eyes of the people†(20). In summer of 1882, he started paintings in oils.Vincent often paints † the simplest, most miserable, cost scorned objects† such as old shoes or † loamy' potatoes. (Huge 61). Vincent painted with dark and sorrowful colors. At the end of 1882, he experiments with lithography. He created a series often graphic works: nine lithographs and one etching. In the letter to his brother Thee, Vincent told him about drawing: Sorrow is one of Van Sago's lithographs. The special thing about this lithograph is that it was originally a painting about a naked prostitute † sitting with flabby breasts, heavy stomach, thin and stiff hair and weeping with her head on her knees† (Huge 6).Vincent also decided to do a lithograph based on the painting The Potato Eaters. The Potato Eaters is his first major work. It depicted five miserable family members, who were peasants, gathered around the table, eating their pota toes in the end of a day. Vincent wanted to attain the moral value in this painting: † I have tried to emphasize that those people , eating their potatoes in the lamplight, have dug the earth with those very hands they put in the dish, and so it speaks of manual labor, and how they have honestly earned their food† (Euchre 88).Van Sago's only etching, L ‘Home  ¤ la Pipe: Portrait du Doctor Cache,depicted Dry. Paul Cachet, a doctor and friend of Van Sago's who took care of him in the final weeks of his life. In 1886, Vincent moved to Paris, where he met his brother Thee, and he also made friends with Gauguin, Pissarro and Serrate. He discovered the French Impressionist. However, through Monticello, he â€Å"discovered both flowers and color† (Huge 63). And through his new friends, he brightened his palette. The Million De la Galatea is yellowed in tone but still muted in spite off pale sky.The hill of Montmartre was treated more conventionally; the painting was dominated by green and yellow ( Euchre 114). During 1887, Vincent created more than twenty- two self- portraits. The reason for this large amounts of his self-portraits was as though he wanted to rediscovered himself physically after he changed his style in art . Another reason is that Vincent Van Gogh was short of money, therefore, he became his own subject: â€Å"l purposely bought a good enough mirror to work from myself, for want of a model†.Self -portrait with a Straw Hat painted in the summer of 887 † show the artist's awareness of Neo-elementariness technique and color theory† ( The Metropolitan Museum of Art), † the background is sketched in by meaner of very widely spaced, comma- like strokes† ( Euchre 1 15). In 1888, he moved to Arles. Vincent was affected by the strong sunlight and he became † the prey of the sun† , † he burst out with spring, reached his highest point during summer and discovered July and the flame's p lenitude†(Euchre 165).At this point of time, his style changed immensely , and it was greatly impacted by the work of the Impressionists and Neo- Impressionists. He started to abandon somber palette and experiment with lighter colors such as red, yellow, orange, green, blue. We can easily see this change in his paintings such as The Pear Tree in Blossom, The Angle's Bridge, Boats at Anchor, Market Gardens, The Suave, A Walk in Arles, The Cafe at Night†¦ Etc. Besides, Vincent also developed his own unique style of painting. Vincent also experimented with the broken brush strokes of the Impressionists and hugely influenced by the Japanese prints.In 1887, he usually went to the shop of Samuel Being, a dealer of oriental art. He purchased many Japanese prints from Being. After that, he organized an exhibition of Japanese prints at the cafe Lee Tambourine. The Japanese prints were used in the background of the painting Portrait of Peer Tangy by Vincent. In the painting Still L ife with Plaster Statuette,† the plane in which the plaster statuette is placed crosses the picture surface vertically from one edge to the other, for shaking all the rules of illusionist perspective for the† plunging† approach of the Japanese†( Euchre 130).In the Woman at Lee Tambourine painted from the beginning of 1887, â€Å"the technique is Impressionist, but the background is treated in Japanese fashion, that is divided into parallel down in vertical stripes† (132). Between the years 1886 and 1889, Vincent painted more than over 30 self- portraits, reflecting his current pursuit of integrative color contrasts and a bolder composition. His collections of self-portraits place him among the most productive self- portraitists of all time. These portraits not only marked changes in his painting technique but also a reflection of his psychological world.The painting â€Å"Self Portrait with Pipe† was painted in 1886, before Vincent moved to Pari s. This is the typical kind of Vincent earlier painting style, using melancholy colors, which are characteristic of traditional Dutch painting. In 1887, Vincent was trying to use Pointillism for his â€Å"Self Portrait†. Pointillism is a painting technique which was created by the artist Georges Serrate. However, Vincent failed at imitating † Caesura's patient and analytical approach to the technique† ( The History in Self Portraits). Another self portrait of Vincent Van Gogh is † Self Portrait with a Gray Felt Hat†.This portrait showed that he reached the peak of his new painting technique. He also applied brush strokes of different contrast colors such as blues, oranges, yellow, white, lilac, sky blue, and green. In June 1888, Vincent was interested in the night of Saints- Maries in Arles that he decided to paint the beautiful view of the night. It was the † Night Cafe† which Vincent stated in the letter to Thee :† equivalent, thoug h different, of the † Potato Eaters† and † In my picture of the † Night Cafe† I have tried to express the idea that the cafe is a place where one can ruin oneself, go mad or commit a crime†( Euchre 164).Then, Vincent had his second night study : â€Å"Cafe Terrace by Night†. In the letter that Vincent sent to Wilhelmina, he expressed his pleasure to his paintings: Here you have a night picture without any black in it, done with nothing but beautiful blue and violet and green, and in these surroundings the lighted square acquires a pale sulfur and greenish citron-yellow color. It amuses me enormously to paint the night on the spot. They used to draw and paint the picture in the daytime after the rough sketch. But I find satisfaction in painting things immediately.Of course it's true that in the dark I may mistake a blue for a green, a blue- lilac for a pink-lilac, for you cannot rightly extinguish the quality of a hue. (Euchre 164) In Octobe r 1888, Gauguin came to Arles and lived with Vincent. Gauguin was Vincent friend. He was famous for creating painting in many different styles, including Impressionism and Primitivism. When being together, they painted paintings and discussed with each other about different technique. Next month, under Gauguin urging, Vincent experimented with painting from memory.Vincent started to imitate Gauguin technique of painting from memory during this time that resulted in his painting becoming less realistic and more attractive. Vincent deliberately used colors to capture moods, rather than using colors realistically. Their first encounter in painting took place at the Alleyways. In December 1888, Van Gogh did two chair paintings: Vincent Chair and Gauguin Armchair. In Vincent Van Gogh- Art, Life and Letters, Euchre said Vincent chair † is a creature of light.The intensity of the yellow note, emphasized by the vibrant blue of the contour , marks the paintings of the future painted â €Å"in such a way that everybody , at least if they have eyes, would see it†. Whereas the elegant armchair is bathed in full chiaroscuro'(202). However, their enthusiasm for each other and art faded away, and soon replaced by quarrels. Vincent had less and less confidence in Gauguin. He wrote Thee: On various occasions I have seen him do things which you and I would not let ourselves do, because we have consciences that feel differently about things.I have heard one or two things said of him, but having seen him at very, very close quarters, I think that he is carried away by his imagination, perhaps by pride, but†¦ Practically irresponsible† ( CTD. In Euchre 202). About Vincent, he did not eat every day because he was short of money. Despite an empty stomach, he stayed for hours working under the sun. (Huge 80) . One time, when Vincent saw the portrait of Vincent Painting Sunflowers which was hidden by Gauguin , he could not recognized himself and reacted violentl y to Gauguin.When they went to a cafe, Vincent suddenly threw his glass of absinthe at Gauguin head. When Gauguin decided to leave Arles, Vincent tried many ways to make him stay. He had been through a difficult time to face with Gauguin threatened departure. He got up during the night to make sure Gauguin was still there, he used absinthe and bacon, since † the only thing to bring ease and distraction, in my case and other people's too, is to stun oneself with a lot of drinking or heavy smoking†(Euchre 211).One day, when Gauguin was walking in the street, Vincent threw himself at him with an opening razor in his hand. However, he did not attack Gauguin, he ran away. Back in his room, he cut off the lobe of his ear with the razor. He cleaned his ear and put it in an envelope and gave the doorkeeper his ear. He was discovered by the police and hospitalized at the H ¶tell-Died hospital in Arles. Gauguin left immediately for Paris, choosing not to visit Van Gogh in the ho spital. Then they never met each other in person again.Two weeks after it happened, he painted his self- portrait: Self -Portrait with Bandaged Ear. This portrait is considered as â€Å"the calm after the storm. He takes a quiet and detached look at himself and expresses a feeling of renewed hope through his bright colors and simplified drawing. A clue to the origin of this bold style is found in the Japanese woodblock print on the wall behind him†( The History in Self Portraits Para. 13). Van Gogh then started to alternate between fits of madness and lucidity and was sent to the asylum in Saint- Remy for treatment.Van Gogh left Arles on 8 May. In mid-June, Van Gogh produced his best known work: Starry Night. In 1890, he shot himself in the chest by a revolver. During his career, he only sold one painting. Van Gogh became famous only after his death because of his innovative art that had a strong influence on the artists of the next generation. Even though Vincent Van Gogh ha d a very dramatic life, he devoted almost most of his entire life for art. A very unique feature about Vincent ark of art is his outstanding bold brush strokes which he adopted in his later paintings..

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Problem gambling Essay

She took one last look out the window as they drove away, the tears streaming down her face. At the age of four, her world had fallen apart. Karina’s life started out as a perfect middle-class family, and soon turned into a broken mess. They had everything, a perfect house in a really nice part of the city, a nice car; everything was wonderful. As Karina got older, she began to notice things weren’t perfect. Her dad was never there. He was always out gambling in one way or another. â€Å"As time progressed we lost the car, and other possessions due to my dad’s gambling problem. It’s not only about gambling and the money. When people gamble, they do other stupid things, he had an affair. My parents decided to get a divorce. My dad didn’t argue, in fact he said that for the safety of our family it would probably be better because a lot of people were angry at him for what he owed them. It was all because of gambling and snowballed into a mess that could have been really dangerous for my mom and me had we stayed around. I’m sad that my life played out in that way at such a young age, and it’s very unfortunate. I know that if he wouldn’t have had gambling around none of those things would have taken place and we would probably still be the family that we were, but unfortunately that’s not how it played out. † Although many people think that legalizing gambling will have a great effect on the economy, I think the negative effects are much more evident. People’s views on subjects often have to do with their ethics. Ethics, as defined by Seiler and Beall, are an individual’s system of moral principles. My ethics lead me to believe that gambling is wrong because I was raised to believe that my family is more important than economic wealth. As it is evident in the story above, gambling can have a major negative effect on someone’s life, and so it is too much of a risk to legalize this dangerous game. Three main reasons that gambling should be kept illegal are that gambling creates tension among the family members, gambling increases crime in the society, and the addiction to gambling is too great for many to overcome. The first reason that gambling should be kept illegal is that gambling creates tension among the family members as the money that should be used for the family is being spent on gambling. Even though gambling might, in some cases, bring money into the state and local economies, there are side effects to having a casino down the street. Forshey (1998) states, â€Å"The gambling jobs, taxes, and recreational values provided by the industry cannot compensate for the social pain-in the form of bankruptcies, white-collar crime, divorce, a compromised political process, an increase in alcoholism-it inflicts. † The drain of a working person’s money that wager’s his or her paycheck and loses is not compensated with the amount of jobs a casino brings to a community. Gambling is a greedy industry that produces nothing more than empty hopes, empty dreams and empty wallets. Anderson states, â€Å"Proponents argue that state lotteries are an effective way to raise taxes painlessly. But the evidence shows that legalized gambling often hurts those who are poor and disadvantaged. † Without casino gambling, many local citizens would spend their money on groceries or clothes, instead of reducing their savings on gambling. As William Thompson states in his article â€Å"Gambling: A Controlling Substance,† It [gambling] is a pleasure, like other entertainment, but in that regard, it is an expensive pleasure. † Thompson then continues with this thought: â€Å"Politicians must recognize that the benefits of gambling are bounded by market structures. Gambling money does not grow on trees. It comes out of the pockets or real people, who otherwise would have spent it on something else. † All of this evidence shoes that gambling should be kept illegal because it creates tension among the family members as the money that should be used for the family is being spent on gambling. A second reason that gambling should be kept illegal is that gambling increases the amount of crime within a society. Gambling often becomes associated with crime, a relationship that seems quite understandable. Not only does gambling continue to be illegal in some forms which makes it a crime to participate in, but also the second half of the issue occurs when gambling increases the amount of street crime in a surrounding area. Crime rates have been significantly higher in places that allow gambling. Kindt states, â€Å"Atlantic City showed a jump in crime when gambling was legalized. The city went from 50th in the nation in per capita crime to first. Problem gamblers may also become more likely to have financial troubles and use illegal activities as a way to pay off their debts and keep up their unhealthy habit. † This graphic shows a report done by the U. S. Department of Justice studied people that were arrested in Las Vegas and Des Moines, Iowa. The results show many connections between gambling and crime. â€Å"More than 30 percent of pathological gamblers who had been arrested in Las Vegas and Des Moines reported having committed a robbery within the past year, nearly double the percentage for low-risk gamblers. Nearly one-third admitted that they had committed the robbery to pay for gambling or to pay gambling debts. In addition, about 13 perfect said they had assaulted someone to get money. † As is evident, gambling should be kept illegal because it increases the amount of crime within a society. We will now look at the last reason why gambling should be kept illegal. Finally, a third reason that gambling should be kept illegal is that the addiction to gambling is too great for many to overcome, resulting in psychological problems for the gambler. Some people argue that if a person wants to gamble badly enough they will do it. They say that one will be able to control his or herself and only gamble when it’s appropriate, but gambling is an addiction that some people can’t escape. The addiction is a nationwide problem, and as much a part of gambling as the dice. As an article in the Omaha World Herald states, â€Å"Problem gambling is the urge to gamble despite harmful negative consequence or the desire to stop, and pathological gambling involves wagering to such excess that it has a severe negative effect on the gambler’s life. † Getting hooked on gambling comes mainly from the action and thrill, an experience chemically the same as those with inhaled substances. They fall under the spell of action. Action is an aroused, joyous state involving excitement, tension, and anticipation of the outcome of a gambling event. It is the thrill of living on the edge. Gambling has little to do with money and everything to do with the feelings of a gambler. William Thompson states, â€Å"People will lie to themselves, also in calculating the money because they don’t want to tell themselves that they were foolish about gambling. † Problem gamblers describe gambling as â€Å"highs† similar to that experienced from many drug substances. Some experience these sensations when just thinking about gambling. How is a person supposed to avoid gambling if he or she is constantly being surrounded with opportunities to place bets and be involved in the â€Å"action†? As Frey suggests casinos increase the number of problem gamblers, and make it that much more difficult to stop for those already addicted. In order to stop the number of pathological gamblers from increasing, the amount of gambling in the United States must decrease as a whole. Pathological gamblers were twice as likely to describe their general health as fair to poor over the past two years and were more likely to acknowledge mental or emotional problems. Rates of alcohol and drug dependence, job loss, and bankruptcy were also significantly higher for pathological gamblers relative to non-gamblers. According to Weinstock and Meyers, â€Å" Almost 20 percent of the people diagnosed as pathological gamblers file for bankruptcy compared to the less than 5 percent of those in the general population. † Percentage of Population with Gambling Problems In order to stop the number of pathological gamblers from increasing, the amount of gambling in the United States must decrease as a whole. As is evident in this bar graph the amount of people with gambling disorders has greatly increased. According to Weinstock and Meyers, â€Å"Recent studies have found that approximately 2 percent of Americans have had severe levels of disordered gambling at some point in their lifetime. Alarmingly, the rate in the Mid-South is even higher. Studies with Mississippi and Louisiana reveal that about 5 percent of the residents in Mississippi have a gambling problem, while in New Orleans, Louisiana 8 percent of the population reported significant problems because of their gambling. † Gambling should be kept illegal because the addiction to gambling is too great for many, even adolescents to overcome. According to Welte, Barnes, Tidwell, and Hoffman, â€Å"Over 2% of U. S. adolescents have experienced problem gambling (i. e. , sub-clinical pathological gambling) in the past year. Females have a . 1% problem gambling rate, and males a 4. 2% problem gambling rate within the past year. † If we don’t put a stop to this now the future of pathological gambling will continue. Regrettably, these pathological gamblers will most likely have to deal with many adverse life events because of their addiction. Many problem gamblers are under so much stress, they commit domestic violence or suicide. There are other, less dangerous ways to find entertainment. So many people suffer every day from their addiction to gambling. The United States should put a stop by banning the gambling industry, and therefore eliminating the harmful side effects of legalized gambling. All of this evidence shows that gambling should be kept illegal because the addiction to gambling is far too great for some people to overcome, resulting in psychological problems for the gambler. The negative effects of gambling out-weigh the positive. The tension created among family members, increased crime in society, and the addiction resulting in psychological problems are just too great of a risk for the people of our society to undergo. So the next time you walk into a casino, remember Karina’s story and how the gambling may affect your life, because even if you’re willing to take the chance, odds are the negative effects of gambling will leave you unlucky in life. It is important for all of you to take note of the consequences and refrain from gambling. Staying away from the dangers of gambling, and setting an example to others is extremely important. No matter what type of personality you have, you can be an influence to others and help stop the spread of gambling all over the nation. I want to challenge you that if you know someone that gambles or you yourself gamble share what you know about gambling and try to put a stop to the habit! References: * Anderson, K. Gambling. Gambling Probe Ministries.Retrieved October 31, 2001 from http://www. probe. org/site/c. fdKEIMNsEoG/b. 4219137/k. C8BD/Gambling. htm * Brandt, K. (Personal communication, October 21, 2011) * Forshey, G. E. (1998). Lonely crusade: Fighting the Gambling Industry. The Christian Century. Retrieved October 31, 2011 from http://vnweb. hwwilsonweb. com/hww/results/getResults. jhtml? _DARGS=/hww/results/results_common. jhtml. 35 * Kindt, J. (1994). The Economic Impacts of Legalized Gambling Activities. Drake Law Review, 40 (1), 50-87. Retrieved October 26, 2011 from https://www.ideals. illinois. edu/handle/2142/16297 * Meyers, A. Whelan, J. Weinstock. (June 1998). Gambling: When it is not a Game Anymore. Business Perspectives, 16-22. Retrieved October 27, 2011 from http://www. allbusiness. com/specialty-businesses/291076-1. html * Problem Gambling: Be aware of warning signs. Omaha World Herald. (March, 19, 2010). Retrieved October 23, 2011 from Library. * Seiler, W. J. and Beall, M. L. (2009). Communication and Ethical Behavior. In Communication: Making Connections (8th Ed) (pp. 8-9). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc. Allyn.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Nebosh IGC

It may be seen as an unproductive cost which conflicts with the requirement to keep costs low. An undesired event resulting in personal injury, damage or loss. A situation with the potential to cause harm or damage. (iii) The likelihood that harm from a particular hazard may be realized. (3) Unsafe conditions and unsafe acts. The number of people likely to be affected by the harm from a hazard, and the severity of the harm that may be suffered.Revision Question 2 Workers should: a) take reasonable care for their own safety and that of other persons who may be affected by their acts or omissions at work; (b) comply with instructions given for their own safety and health and those of others and with safety and health procedures; use safety devices and protective equipment correctly and do not render them inoperative; (d) report forthwith to their immediate supervisor any situation which they have reason to believe could present a hazard and which they cannot themselves correct; (e) rep ort any accident or injury to health which arises in the course of or in connection with work.Criminal – fines; Civil – compensation. External data sources include: National legislation (e. G. Regulations); Safety data sheets from manufacturers and suppliers; Government Enforcing Authority publications such as Codes of Practice and Guidance Notes; Manufacturers'/ suppliers' maintenance manuals; National/alienation standards; Information from local safety groups; Information from trade associations; Information from Journals and magazines. Internal data sources include: Information from accident records; Information from medical records and the medical department (if you have one);Information from company doctors; Risk assessments; Maintenance reports; Information from Joint inspections with safety reps; Information from audits, surveys, sampling and tours; Information from safety committee minutes. NOBLES International General Certificate 1-27 Revision Question 3 There should be a framework of roles and responsibilities for health and safety allocated to individuals throughout the organization, including the appointment of specialist staff and ensuring that general management roles and arrangements address health and safety issues.To ensure that the organizational arrangements, health and safety standards and operational systems and measures are working effectively and, where they are not, to provide the information upon which they may be revised. 1-28 NOBLES International General Certificate Setting Policy for Health and Safety I Element 2 Element 2 Why might the health and safety policy of two organizations, both undertaking similar work, be different? What are the three key elements of a health and safety policy? By whom should the policy be signed?What does a safety organization chart show? What responsibilities do all workers have relating to health and safety? 2-12 NOBLES International General Certificate Element 2 | Setting Policy for Heal th and Safety What forms the base for the plans for the systems, procedures and other measures required to put the health and safety policy into effect? State the three main forms of communicating health and safety information to staff. What are active monitoring systems? In what specific circumstances should a policy review be held?NOBLES International General Certificate 2-19 Because the policy is a reflection of the particular circumstances of each organization. Thus, any variations in size, nature and organization of operations, etc. , will mean that the health and safety policy will also vary. The general statement of intent, organization and arrangements. A senior Director or the Chief Executive Officer, indicating the organization's commitment at the highest level. The hierarchy of roles and responsibilities for health and safety, and the lines of accountability between them.To act responsibly and safely at all times, and to do everything they can to prevent injury to themsel ves and to fellow workers. Risk assessments. The three main methods of communicating health and safety information are the use of written procedures, provision of instructions and provision of appropriate training. Active monitoring systems are those which seek to identify deficiencies in current arrangements before any resulting accident. They include testing, inspections and consultation procedures, as well as management controls to ensure compliance.The circumstances which should give rise to reviews, either of general policy or specific aspects of it, are: Changes in the structure of the organization, and/or changes in key personnel. A change in buildings, workplace or worksheet. When work arrangements change, or new processes are introduced. When indicated by a safety audit or a risk assessment. Following government enforcement action or as the result of the findings from accident investigations. Following a change in legislation.If consultation with workers or their representa tives highlights deficiencies. If requested by a third party. NOBLES International General Certificate 2-21 Element 3 | Organizing for Health and Safety Element 3 Outline typical duties of employers to workers. Outline common duties of workers. What are the responsibilities of employers to people who are not their workers? Where business premises are rented, is the employer responsible for health and feet matters relating to points of entry to and exit from the workplace?NOBLES International General Certificate 3_11 Outline the areas of responsibility placed on people in the supply chain for the articles and substances which they supply to workplaces. Outline the responsibilities of the client and the contractor where a contractor is working in the client's own workplace. 3_17 Organizing for Health and Safety I Element 3 How may employers consult workers? What are safety circles? 3-20 NOBLES International General Certificate The general duties of employers are:Provision of adequate instruction, training, supervision and information necessary to ensure the health and safety at work of workers. Provision/maintenance of safe plant/equipment and a safe system of working. Provision and maintenance of a safe workplace (including a safe way of getting to and from that place of work). The two general duties of workers are: To take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that of other persons who may be affected by their acts or omissions at work. To co-operate with the employer so far as is necessary to enable the employer to fulfill his legal obligations.Employers must make adequate provision to protect third parties from harm as a result of their work activities by: Conducting their undertakings in such a way as to ensure that people not in their employment who may be affected by their activities are not exposed to risks to their health and safety. Giving people who are not their workers sufficient information regarding the undertaking as might affect th eir health and safety; for example, details of potential hazards. It would depend on the terms of the tenancy agreement. Responsibility lies with the person who may be said to control the particular aspect of the premises.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Strategies in the pharmaceutical industry Literature review

Strategies in the pharmaceutical industry - Literature review Example 2009, p.5). If the toxicity of the compound is proved to be high, then the development of the drug stops (Nishimura et al. 2009). The exclusion of a drug from the drug pipeline can take place anytime up to the last part of the drug development process; for example, even if a drug has been made available to the public the firm involved can decide to withdraw the drug from the market (Nishimura et al. 2009). A drug that is proved to have severe side effects that had not been identified in the pre-clinical or the clinical testing is an example of the above case. Firms operating in the pharmaceutical industry could secure the success of their New Product Development process by employing the ‘Critical Success Factors approach’ (Schuh et al. 2012, p.3). The specific approach promotes the idea that the chances for the success of a business strategy can be significantly increased if the strategy is designed based on a series of factors (Schuh et al. 2012). These factors, as presented in Figure 1a, can affect the design of the business strategy at lower or at higher level depending on the industry involved and the conditions in the business environment (Schuh et al. 2012). In any case, the use of these factors could help a pharmaceutical firm to secure the competitiveness of its new products, as possible (Schuh et al. 2012). On the other hand, Figueiredo and Loiola (2012) explain that a drug development process is characterized by the continuous exchange of ideas; during the process many of these ideas are rejected while news can also appear. However, because the issues that need to be taken into consideration during the particular process can be many it should be wise for the managers working on such projects to screen each stage of the process as carefully as possible (Figueiredo and Loiola 2012, p.21). The economic aspects of drugs, as reflected in their Net

Thursday, September 26, 2019

The marketing and management policies of Burton Company Essay

The marketing and management policies of Burton Company - Essay Example Marketing policies of Burton Company is aimed to offer a high quality services to everyone who wants excellent sport equipment, from professional sportsmen to common citizens who want high quality goods. Taking into account the present day situation, the strategy followed by Burton Company is to ensure long-term success based on brand loyalty, non-price competition and high-income market segment. Recent years, Burton Company has shifted its global focus to core brands and price reduction measures. This strategy has helped Burton Company to maintained high-speed growth through continuous optimization of its product mix and constant technological innovation. International activity allows the company to address wider target audience and create core of loyal supporters around the world. For instance, "Both Burton Sportartikel and Burton Japan function as important links between Burton North America and its retailers and consumers in those regions. In addition, these offices service the operational and marketing needs of international distributors and dealers" (Burton Snowboards, 2006). International activity is crucial for a company to ensure its market position and long-term success. "With new direct link to the Asian market, Burton Snowboards was now truly a global company" (Burton Snowboards, 2006). Today, Burton Company follows a differentiation strategy and ensures that the higher price it charges for its higher quality is not priced too far above the competition or else customers will not see the extra quality as worth the extra cost. Focusers help Burton Company to achieve better differentiation or lower cost in separate market segments (Asia), but they also lose to broadly targeted competitors when the segment's uniqueness fades or demand disappears. The main distribution methods include local representative and offices in 36 countries worldwide, namely dealers and distributors. A unique policy applied by Burton Company helps the company to achieve its marketing strategies. Many people around the world wanted to became distributors of Burton products and "Jake decided to pick people who were dedicated to the sport of snowboarding, rather than using people already entrenched in the ski industry" (Burton Snowboards, 2006). Burton's maintain policy of product standardization i n order to sell them around the world under the same brand. Advertising and PR relations are aimed to popularize Burton brand creating an corporate image and unique selling proposition. One of the tools used by Burton is sponsorship. Sponsorship activities include: young riders at a Factory level, Burton's Global Team consisting of the best riders. Olympic Games 2002 was a turning point for Burton promoting snowboarding as a "new" sport available for millions of sport fans. Using movie industry as promotion activity (film "Apocalypse Snow") has helped Burton Company to attract attention of potential customers around the world. Advertising campaigns of Burton Company include media of different types. In Burton Company advertising involves local press and international press advertising and magazine display, billboard advertisements during sports events, internet promotion and internet sales, TV advertisements. (McDonald, Christopher, 2003). Company's management is aimed to develop and support its marketing activities in

Business Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Business Research - Essay Example The commercial success of giant multinational companies such as Apple and Samsung creates significant spill over effects in the international economic system. These effects are created in the form of increased employability, augmented consumers utility, greater innovation and better standard of living (New Page Publishers, 2010). This business research primarily aims to analyze the most important factors determining the consumers purchasing intensions in the global electronics industry (Georgi and Mink, 2012). It should be noted that positive purchasing perceptions of the buyers within an industry is directly proportional to the efficiency of the marketing activities conducted by each company (Bray, 2010). It is highly rational to conduct this research because it aims to first implicitly analyze the marketing strategies and business performances of Apple and Samsung. The research work will also conduct an empirical survey analysis about the consumer’s perceptions regarding the products and services of the two companies. At the end by combining the two research results, the paper will enumerate certain recommendations through which the two companies would be able to enhance its business perforce in the long run. Long run growth of such giant multinational companies would imply progress of the global economy. Apple Inc. is a popular multinational company founded in 1976. The headquarters of the organization is located in Cupertino, California but it conducts business in almost all the prominent economies of the world (Apple Inc., 2012). Computer hardware, computer electronics, digital distribution and computer software are some popular products and services traded by Apple Inc. It is believed by the researchers that Apple Inc. has achieved multiplicative growth in business since its inception with the active contribution of its

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

How Does Gender Bias Negatively Impact the Role of Men in Nursing Essay

How Does Gender Bias Negatively Impact the Role of Men in Nursing - Essay Example Gender bias negatively impacts the role of men in nursing by: Not all male nurses believe gender bias has had a negative impact on their career. But, fewer than 6% of the Registered Nurses in the United States today are men (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services). Considering approximately 49% of the population is male, the 6% figure indicates that bias may be impacting the entry and retention of men in the nursing field. Furthermore, Wilson (2005) in a study of Australian nursing students, found that in a three-year period, the average attrition rate for males in a university-based nursing program was 55.5% but only 45% for females. This, too, raises concerns about what is keeping men from entering or staying in the nursing field. One answer is gender bias. Gender bias, most succinctly defined by the higher education company McGraw-Hill, is "Behavior that results from the underlying belief in sex role stereotypes." (McGraw-Hill Education Company). Entire dissertations have been written defining sex role stereotypes. ... eotypes ("conventional, formulaic, and oversimplified conceptions, opinions, or images") ("Stereotypes") based on the roles ("characteristic and expected social behaviors of an individual") ("Roles") based on sex/gender, traditionally male or female. Vogel, Wester, Heesacker, & Madon's (2003) finding that women and men act in accordance with social roles which are often segregated along gender lines helps summarize how sex role stereotypes are perpetuated. They continue, "Popular culture has embraced the idea that women and men are different. Self-help books, talk shows, and magazine articles routinely acknowledge large gender differences" With popular culture stressing distinct differences and roles for men and women, it is understandable that a career traditionally considered female would not be considered attractive to some men. To assess biases and the status of Men in Nursing in 2005, the research firm of Bernard Hodes Group performed an on-line survey, open to male nurses and nursing students, from October until December 2004 and received almost 500 responses (N=498) (Bernard Hodes Group, 2005). Of note were the men's responses to the question regarding their perceptions about nursing before entering the field. The top four responses, with percentages responding, to what they had as perceptions of men and nursing: Traditionally female dominated field (85%) Other professions perceived "more appropriate" (62%) Nursing salaries are not competitive with other careers (33%) Nursing is not an autonomous, decision-making profession (27%) The next most popular response, "Nursing doesn't provide much upward mobility" garnered only 16% of responses. It is evident that the perception - or stereotype - of a subservient female is still in place. The media does not

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Introduction to Psychology. forums Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Introduction to Psychology. forums - Essay Example On the other hand behaviours usually occur consciously and it is possible for us to change our behaviour if we make a conscious effort. Dr Vasily Klucharev, from the FC Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging in the Netherlands has said that people often change their decisions and judgments to conform with normative group behavior (Alleyne). Psychology is interested in both behavioural studies and mental activities since both have close relationships. Psychology is the study of human mind and behaviour. Behaviour is the outcome of mental processes which means the study of psychology might not be completed without the study of behaviour and mental processes. For example, suppose a person shows some abnormalities in his behaviour. A psychiatrist or psychologist cannot treat him without knowing his mental processes. In order to know his mental processes, a psychiatrist or psychologist normally makes a free association with the patient. In short, behaviour and mental processes, both are important to psychology. Neurotransmitters are some kind of chemicals which is responsible for the amplification and modulation of signals between a neuron and another cell. Purse (2010) has mentioned that when a message or signal comes in at one end of a nerve cell, an electrical impulse travels down the "tail" of the cell (axon), and causes the release of the appropriate neurotransmitter and subsequently, molecules of the neurotransmitter are sent into the tiny space between nerve cells, called the synaptic cleft (Purse). Proper transmission of messages across the body is important for the smooth functioning of body parts. Neurotransmitters are responsible for ensuring the correct transmission of messages from the brain to other parts of the body. Neurotransmitters are responsible for the control of mood, sleep regulation, body temperature, blood pressure, hormonal activities etc. The brain

Monday, September 23, 2019

Discuss and assess the parallels between cold war anti-communism and Essay

Discuss and assess the parallels between cold war anti-communism and contemporary debates about terrorism and border protection - Essay Example apparently aimed at protecting human rights by inculcating political sovereignty in the so-called ‘failed states.’ Apart from a few isolated murmurings in the West, these experiments in state-building, humanitarian intervention and policing of wayward nations were neither openly associated to an American empire nor were they labelled as imperialist. The arrival of George Bush at the White House and the terrorist atrocities of September 11, 2001 reveal the role of the U.S. in the global economy. Furthermore, the war on terror that ensued shortly after September 11 seem to have reversed the world order and ignited a debate on the role of the U.S in fostering international peace. The debate presented in this paper argues that the U.S. role seems to have accorded itself the role of maintaining a check on communism (Bamford, 2004: pp 18-47). The paper aims at exploring the analytical and historical value of the connection between terrorism, war, efforts at border protection a nd the efforts at taming communism and fostering the extension of the American empire. Some of the historical questions that the paper aims to solve include the role that the Cold War played in shaping a domineering American empire. There is also an attempt to analyze how the nature of this empire was affected by the end of the Cold War. Therefore, the paper aims at presenting a comparison between the prevailing conjecture of border protection measures and the war on terror with the origins of the rivalry between capitalism and communism. Researchers have done a critical analysis of several theoretical perspectives that shed more light on the underlying dynamics in the aggravated efforts to fight terrorism in the world.. These perspectives also highlight how these dynamics serve to entrench border protection measures, especially after the end of the Cold War. The first perspective regards to the theory of realism which emphasizes several motives that are connected to the power, national

Sunday, September 22, 2019

The Impact of Substance Abuse on the Adolescent Population Essay Example for Free

The Impact of Substance Abuse on the Adolescent Population Essay Introduction Understanding the scope of drug use and addiction in the world includes knowing the prevalence among various populations and researching the many health and social consequences. The United States is both the largest producer of drug research in the world and the world’s only â€Å"drug-control superpower.† The simultaneous leadership in social science and world agenda setting is not the result of a symbiotic relationship between American research and policy making.During adolescence, friends and peers become far more influential than before, and intimate dating relationships become primary interests (Laursen Williams, 1997). Along with these important developmental changes, however, come increased risks of pregnancy, sexually transmitted disease, and abuse by and toward dating partners (Leaper Anderson, 1997). As well, alcohol and drug use and abuse enters the picture, which may contribute to the occurrence of the other risk behaviors (Milgram, 1993; National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, 1999). Although some of these developments are harmless, there is a growing awareness of the importance of education and prevention to increase teens personal safety and responsibility. Not surprisingly, prominent adolescent risk behaviors are alcohol and drug abuse, unsafe sexual behavior, and dating violence-share many of the same contributing risk factors, although to important and differing degrees. These include problems related to the family, such as family conflict and violence, poor relationship attachment, early and persistent behavior problems, as well as peer and academic problems, such as school failure, peer rejection, and exposure to community violence. In addition to the above, teen pregnancy, early sexual intercourse, and risky sexual behaviors are associated with early onset of puberty, truancy, and delinquency (Kilpatrick, Acierno, Saunders, Resnick, Best, 2000). In the absence of compensatory factors, such as education and social competence, these varied risk factors can contribute to or become risk behaviors (e.g., alcohol use is associated with teen pregnancy and violence). Common Elements A common family element found among teens who engage in these high risk behaviors is the amount of time spent without proper adult involvement or supervision (Dishion, Capaldi, Spracklen, Li, 2005). Not surprisingly, children who grow up in caring and supportive homes are more likely to resist risky behaviors, while children who have grown up witnessing or experiencing alcohol abuse or violence in their homes, having poor family structure and insecure attachment-related experiences are more likely to be less resistant to these same risky, unhealthy behaviors. A description of the age, gender, and ethnic identities of youth who engage in high risk behavior is provided by the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance, which tracks data regarding many health risk behaviors for adolescents in the United States. According to this data, black youth, for example, report significantly higher rates of sexual intercourse before age 13 than do Whites and Hispanics, while White youth report the highest levels of forced sexual intercourse. Black youth also report less alcohol consumption at last sexual intercourse and higher condom use than do White and Hispanic youth. Not surprisingly, males report more alcohol use before the age of 13 than females, across all ethnic groups (YRBSS). However, these data on prevalence of self-reported adolescent risk behaviors is descriptive only, and tells little about the contextual factors contributing to such risk. While looking closer at some of the factors that may contribute to the mentioned risk behaviors, the one can see that alcohol use among teenagers remains prevalent in todays society. A national probability sample of 4,023 adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 found that 15% of the sample used alcohol, 10% used marijuana, and 2% reported hard drug use in the past year (Kilpatrick et al. 2000). Although some alcohol consumption among adolescents is considered normative, there is great concern for the number of teens who are exhibiting signs of alcohol abuse or dependence with 7% of the above sample meeting diagnostic criteria for alcohol, marijuana, or hard drug abuse or dependence. Trends in alcohol use reported in the Youth Risk Behavior Survey indicate that binge drinking (five or more drinks on one occasion during the 30 days prior to the survey) has shown little variation over the past several years, ranging from 31.3% in 1991 to 33.4% in 1997 to 31.5% in 1999 (Centers for Disease Control, 2000). Binge drinking continues to be a problem among youth and needs to be targeted specifically. Importantly, studies have found that alcohol use influenced the practice or involvement in a number of other high-risk behaviors. Sexual activity, smoking, and drinking and driving were significantly related to heavy drinking. Another study examining trauma experiences among adolescents found that those who reported alcohol abuse or dependence were 6-12 times more likely to have a history of childhood physical abuse, and 18-21 times more likely to have a sexual abuse history (Clark, Lesnick, Hegedus, 2001). The continued increase in alcohol consumption among teenagers is cause for concern, particularly as it relates to and influences other risk factors and behaviors. Teen Addiction, Recovery and Relapse   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   These three (3) aspects are critical elements of this discussion because they are more closely related to reach other than originally recognized.   Teen addiction has often been linked to the risk factors that will be discussed in the later segments of this paper (Kilpatrick et al. 2000).   Teen addiction is often correlated to exposure to risk factors.   The causal link that has been found is that the risk activities that teens are exposed to often lead to drug addiction and dependency.   Alternatively, those that find themselves in drug related problems are often also found to take part in risk activities. The second element, teen recovery is also connected to all of these factors in that the success of recovery treatment depends highly not solely on the teen’s non-exposure to drugs but also with the withdrawal from all of those risk factors such as drinking, smoking and healthier dating relationships.   Finally, this section will also shed light on the relapse rate which has also been found to be closely related to alcohol and smoking problems.   As found in most studies, continued use of non-drug addictive substances also increases the relapse rate especially among teens.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As previously mentioned, teen addiction is often attributed to many different factors.   The foremost among these factors remain peer pressure, troubled childhood and lack of parental and substitute parental guidance (e.g. teachers).   These are well documented causes of teen drug addiction which will only be briefly discussed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   While there are theories that suggest it may not be just one single element that promotes teen drug addiction, it cannot be denied that the aforementioned factors when taken together do increase the chances of teen drug addiction.   Given this fact, once these factors are added with the risk factors such as social acceptance which leads to increased sexual activity, drug addiction not only becomes guaranteed but continued substance abuse well into the late teens is also certified. In the book entitled, â€Å"Care of Drug Users in General Practice: a harm reduction approach†, it has been found that addiction to drugs is not always the primary addictive element and that in certain cases the addiction is to the other benefits derived from drug addiction that individuals find more appealing such as social acceptance and increased sexual activity (Phillips 2004).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The issue of recovery, as discussed in â€Å"Care of Drug Users in General Practice: a harm reduction approach† often cites that recovery is based on the same factors that caused the addiction but to a varying extent (Phillips 2004).   This basically means that in order for one to enter voluntarily, which has been found to have to lowest relapse rate, into drug rehabilitation programs, there is a need for the external aid.   The cause which began the substance abuse must also be willing to aid the individual in the rehabilitation stage.   An example of this would be sexually active teenagers who attempt rehabilitation but fail due to one of the partner’s refusal to enter the same program.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Teens are at a very impressionable stage and in order to be able to reach out to them one must be able to reach out to their peers.   This is easier said than done, however, since the clannish nature of most teenagers makes it almost impossible to be able to get on a more comfortable personal level with any of them (Phillips 2004).   Most drug rehabilitation programs have begun implementing peer outreach programs where the former successful teen patients volunteer to help the centers in reaching out to the troubled youth.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Finally, the problem of relapse must also be discussed.   Relapse is often a greater problem than getting the addict to rehabilitation.   The reason for this is that maintaining the dissociation with drugs and the related elements requires constant vigilance without outside intervention (Phillips 2004).   Most of the problems that teen addicts face after rehabilitation lies in breaking away from comfortable and familiar ties who are often still exposed to the drug elements to which the teen seeks to break ties from.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There is a lot of literature on this matter which suggests that drug rehabilitation programs should equally pay attention to the â€Å"check out† stage of most recovered addicts.   While there is success in getting the addict to quit, for the time being, success can only be measured in its entirety.   In this dangerous and socially important aspect, partial success does not count as a victory (Phillips 2004).   What truly matters is getting the teen to totally isolate himself or herself from any factor which may bring about a relapse.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In order to tackle this problem, it is important to maintain peer programs such as the AA and the like that have constant monitors on their members.   There are programs that have already instituted these types of programs but most have failed due to the lack of commitment by most of its members (Phillips 2004).   Teen drug addiction is not an easy problem to admit as most teens often find themselves in denial of their addiction and take it instead as a growing pain that everyone goes through (Phillips 2004).   Yet, as revealed earlier, the teen drug abuse rates reveal a different story.   Therefore, in order to address the problem of drug relapse, most teenagers must be able to realize that the addiction was not just a part of growing up but rather an experience that is avoidable and must not be repeated. Teen Treatment Systems   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This section will briefly tackle the issue on treatment systems such as counseling or outpatient services and its effects on the adolescent population whether it is helpful or only helpful when combined.   At the onset, it must be stated that as a part of the rehabilitation system, the issue on counseling and/or outpatient services is critical.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As previously mentioned in the prior section, many of the treatment systems that have been implemented do not focus solely on counseling alone but also include other treatments such as outpatient services and extracurricular activities (Philips 2004).   Counseling, as discussed in a number of studies, is only effective up to a certain extent.   While generally considered as a more passive approach to treatment, newer and more dynamic systems have also been added to the treatment (Botvin 2005).   It has been found that counseling is only the initial step in teen substance abuse rehabilitation.   It must be complemented by more dynamic systems as teen outreach programs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The value of an addict for his or her life is greatly increased when seen in the context of aiding the community.   These new treatment systems have been developed specifically to target teens.   The reason for this is that it allows for the effective isolation from the harmful and detrimental substance abuse elements and allows the addict or individual to be â€Å"reintroduced† as a productive member of society and the community (Botvin 2005).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The second step in this process is the outpatient service that is offered.   The problem of relapse is common among teenagers and as such effective outpatient services to monitor the teens is necessary.   The greatest danger comes from not being able to maintain the positive and productive environment for the adolescent.   This is perhaps the single most important step in keeping the teens from relapsing into substance abuse (Botvin 2005). Teen Addiction and Risk Factors As such, it is also relevant to discuss how addiction manifests itself in relation to certain aspects such as risky behavior because certain studies have shown that drug addiction is intensified by these elements as well. Dating Relationships Teens generally begin dating, either singly or in small groups, between 13 and 18 years of age, with a range of variability regarding frequency, level of intimacy, seriousness, and importance of these relationships. An illustration of dating, intimacy, and sexual experiences and expectations is provided by an in-depth survey conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation and YM Magazine, involving 650 boys and girls ages 13-18 years (Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation and YM Magazine, 1999). They discovered levels or stages of intimacy that developed by age of the youth; that is, intimacy progressed as the youth developed in age chronologically, not as the relationship progressed in length. Most 13-14-year-old teens (72%) reported that it is typical for dating couples their age to kiss, with 45% reporting that French kissing, petting (15%), and intercourse (4%) are expected. Adolescents 15-16 years of age expected an increased level of sexual activity, with 93% reporting kissing, and slightly higher rates of French kissing (71%), petting (48%), and intercourse (28%) as normative. Couples at this age typically spend more time alone together. Older teens (ages 17-18 years) have significantly more sexual experience, with 57% reporting petting to be typical and slightly more than half (52%) reporting intercourse to be typical of their dating relationships. Just as intimacy becomes more involved and prevalent in older teens relationships, so does the significance of the relationship. Although teens continue to value relationships with parents, siblings, other family members, and nonrelated adults, relationships with dating partners begin to gain in importance. Gender differences emerge in how relationships develop in significance and closeness during the adolescent years. A study of the network of relationships among younger adolescents found that dating partners were ranked 6th out of 7 in terms of support received (i.e., companionship, intimacy, instrumental help, affection, enhancement of worth, nurturance of the other, and reliable alliance). By mid-adolescence, dating partners were tied for second place with mothers and, in college, males rated their dating partner as the most supportive person in their network, while females gave equally high ratings to partners, same sex friends, siblings, and mothers (Furman Buhrmester, 2002). A similar study comparing dating and non-dating adolescents found older adolescents and males interacted more frequently with romantic Clinical Issues in Intervention dating partners, whereas younger adolescents and females divided their social interaction time among several relationships (Laursen Williams, 1997). What is not clearly understood, however, is how these relationships emerge in early adolescence, and how these relationships transform over the course of adolescence. Gender differences in expectations and closeness may lead to conflict and tension in dating relationships, if these expectations are not clearly understood or reciprocated. Patterns for more high-risk youth (e.g., those involved in dropout prevention and alternative school programs) stand in contrast to these normative patterns. Of high-risk youth, 35% report being 13 years or younger at first intercourse, 33% were 14-15 years old, and 13% were 16 years or older (OHara et al., 2003). Obviously, youth with other risk behaviors (such as alcohol abuse or school problems) are more likely to also engage in high-risk sexual behavior. Monitoring dating abuse and violence among adolescents is fairly new. Surveys of high school students report 36%-45% of students experience any form of violence in the relationship as a victim or perpetrator (OKeefe Treister, 2003). Recently, a measure of physical abuse in dating relationships has been added to the Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Intentional physical violence, including being hit, slapped, or physically hurt on purpose by a boyfriend or girlfriend, was reported by 8.8% of youth in the 2005 Youth Risk Behavior survey (YRBSS, 2005). A series of focus group studies with adolescent males and females ages 14-19 years regarding teen dating relationships revealed many disturbing attributions regarding harassment and abuse in dating relationships. Factors that caused violence as reported by the teens were grouped into individual, couple, and social levels (Lavoie, Robitaille, Hebert, 2000). Individual factors attributed to the aggressor included jealousy, the boys need for power, and alcohol and drug use. During focus group discussions, youth identified factors attributed to the victim including provocation by the girl, previous experience with violence, a victim personality type (i.e., one who is easily preyed upon), and a strong need for affiliation. Factors attributed to the couple included communication problems and sadomasochism. There was endorsement for consensual violent sex, meaning that a little force during intimacy was considered acceptable as long as both partners agreed. Although consensual, the youth did regard this as sometimes being problematic because partners have agreed to the violence, but may not be sure when one or the other has then crossed the line. Teens in this study frequently attributed blame for violence in the relationship to the victim. Importantly, physical violence in a dating relationship has different ramifications for males and females. While there is a trend to believe that males and females are equally violent, there is evidence that females perpetrate more violence than males out of self-defense. There are also differences in the severity of violence experienced, as well as the impact it has on the victim (Foshee, 2006). A study of high school dating violence revealed that girls experienced significantly more severe physical violence than boys (Jackson, Cram, Seymour, 2000). Females were more likely to be punched and to be forced into sexual activity, whereas males were more likely to be pinched, slapped, scratched, and kicked. The physical effects of the violence were more severe for females, with 48% reporting that it â€Å"hurt a lot† or caused bruises (29%). Males (56%) more frequently reported that it did not hurt at all. Reaction to the worst incident of violence in the relationship also was assessed. Males most frequently reported that they laughed (54%) in reaction to the situation, while females reported a number of other responses: crying (40%), running away (11%), and fighting back (36%); 12% reported that they obeyed their partner. Sexual assault and forced sexual intercourse also occur at an alarming rate during adolescence (9-10% of first sexual intercourse experiences were forced). Males perpetrate more sexual dating violence than females, and females sustain more sexual violence than males (Foshee, 2006). Sexual Activity among Adolescents While it is easy to track female pregnancy rates, adolescent males are typically not researched or surveyed regarding their histories of fathering pregnancies. A study of urban African-American male youth regarding pregnancy history and other health-risk behaviors indicated that 24.2% reported a pregnancy history. These males were 14 times more likely to report three or more sex partners in the last year, more than five times as likely to report a sexually transmitted disease history, and more than three times more likely to test positive for drugs than males without a pregnancy history. Safe sex practices also seem to be of little concern to these males, as they were 2.5 times as likely to be inconsistent or nonusers of condoms during sexual intercourse (Guagliardo, Huang, DAngelo, 2006). Disturbingly, a study of youth in dropout prevention and alternative school programs assessed for risk of HIV/AIDS prevention found that use of alcohol and drugs and age of sexual initiation were significantly associated with a high risk profile ile for AIDS/HIV (OHara et al., 2003). Males (29%) were more likely than females (14%) to use alcohol and drugs before having sex and were more than likely to have had sex with two or more partners (males, 78%; females, 22%). Early onset of sexual intercourse is cause for concern, particularly as it increases the likelihood of increased numbers of sexual partners and condom nonuse during the adolescent. Increased numbers of sexual intercourse partners has been correlated with risk behaviors such as unintended pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, and other sexually transmitted diseases. Connections between dating violence and alcohol use were found to be among the strongest predictors for an increased number of sexual intercourse partners for Black and White adolescent males and females (Valois, Oeltmann, Waller, Hussey, 2003). Younger dating youth who have older partners may be at greater risk of experiencing dating violence. Not including cases where physical force was threatened or used at first sexual intercourse, 34% of male partners of 11-12 year old females were five or more years older; 12% of male partners of 13-15 year old females were five or more years older; and 7% of male dating partners of 16-18 year olds were five years or more older (Leitenberg Saltzman, 2000). Although the disparity in age range between the male and female partners seems to decrease as females get older, such disparity has important prevention implications. Information about onset of sexual intercourse is available, but information is scarce about feelings regarding the experience, planning for the event, and discussion regarding birth control or safe sex practices before intercourse has occurred (Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation and YM Magazine, 1999). Females tend to feel more pressure to participate in some form of sexual activity and are more concerned about what friends, peers, and the dating partner think of them. Motivation for initiation of sexual intercourse has not been significantly examined. Predictors for early initiation of sexual intercourse include a belief that they are more mature than their peers, early physical maturity, a tendency to use hard drugs, and a desire for earlier autonomy from parents (Rosenthal, Smith, de Visser, 1999). Research regarding individual risk factors and risk behaviors has been conducted primarily in isolation. Recently, research into how these many behaviors are related has begun to take place. Making the links between these factors and behaviors may have important consideration when designing prevention programs. Making the Links The links between adolescent risk behaviors described above merit careful investigation. While it is understood that these behaviors do not usually occur in isolation, there seems to be no clear understanding of how they operate together, and what the ramifications might be for adolescent dating relationships. The survey data presented earlier shows that some adolescents begin drinking at an early age, and many begin to experience sexual intercourse at an early age. Undoubtedly, there are serious health ramifications to these issues (i.e., potential for pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, alcohol and other drug dependence, and increased aggression). Typically, researchers have considered these ramifications in the context of the individual, a lot depends on the occurrence of these behaviors in peer and dating relationships, and the possible impact on individuals and relationships. Linking Alcohol and Sexual Activity A report written by the Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse used data from two prominent surveys in the United States: the 1997 Youth Risk Behavior Survey; and the 1995 National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, regarding adolescent risk behaviors to develop a comprehensive and in-depth analysis of the connections among alcohol, drug use, and all aspects of sexual activity and violence (National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, 1999). Again, the links among dating violence and alcohol and sex are not explicit. However, significant findings from this report reveal that teens who use alcohol and drugs are more likely to have sexual intercourse, initiate sexual intercourse at an earlier age, have multiple sex partners, and be at greater risk for sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy. Early onset of drug use and number of years of sexual intercourse has been found to be associated with increased numbers of sex partners. In addition, students with more partners are more likely to be heavier drug users. The Kaiser Family Foundation study found that almost two in ten (17%) teens, aged 13-18, who have had an intimate encounter, admit having done something sexual while under the influence of drugs or alcohol that they otherwise might not have done. One in three (32%) girls, 17-18 years of age, have had this experience. Linking Alcohol and Intimate Violence The links between alcohol use and marital aggression have been documented, but the same attention has not been shown to adolescent dating relationships. Only recently have questions regarding dating violence been added to the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (Centers for Disease Control, 2000). Substance abuse is frequently linked with sexual violence. Alcohol has been named the primary culprit for date rape on college campuses (National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, 1999). A study of college men and women found that 78% of undergraduate women experienced sexual aggression, and 57% of men reported being sexually aggressive. Dates that included sexual aggression were more likely to include heavy drinking or drug use, in comparison to the last date that did not include sexual aggression. Among high school students, experiencing dating violence has been identified as a salient risk factor for females for using alcohol or street drugs, and increases the odds 20-fold for alcohol and drug use (Wekerle, Hawkins, Wolfe, 2001). There is a move toward establishing a better understanding of the significance and links among adolescent risk behaviors. With this understanding comes a need to develop new prevention programs that deal with these risk behaviors in a broader sense, rather than in isolation. Adolescent Risk Behavior and Drug Prevention Programs Prevention programs developed over the past decade have been targeted specifically at adolescents for a number of risk behaviors: dating violence, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, pregnancy prevention, safe sex programs, and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, to name a few. Literature reviews and program evaluation studies point to the conclusion that programs may be successful at providing information and delaying onset of the risk activity, but long-term prevention of the focused risk behavior is seldom achieved. Evaluation of prevention programs in all of these areas has been limited due to methodological problems, such as inadequate standardized measures, ambiguity of terms (e.g., defining dating relationships), lack of multiple informants and control groups, lack of trained facilitators, and long-term follow-up issues. Some programs are developed for universal prevention, while others are targeted at groups considered to be at greater risk based on presence of known risk factors. Undoubtedly, good prevention programs are derived from theory, input from youth, and practice. There are several theories that have contributed to the creation of prevention programs for dating violence, substance abuse, and pregnancy or safe sex education. Social learning theory postulates that youth are vulnerable as a result of the social environment in which they are raised. Negative family, peer, and community influences will contribute to risk for adapting to negative behaviors. Problem behavior theory relies on the belief that some youth may have a natural tendency for deviance or nonconformity and, therefore, may be more likely to engage in problem behaviors. Adolescents may engage in alcohol consumption or early onset of sexual intercourse because they perceive it as a means to achieve a goal, that is, peer acceptance, or to cope with boredom, unhappiness, anxiety, or rejection (Botvin Botvin, 2002) Theory and model testing of problem behaviors in a recent study of early adolescents found support for a model that included specific factors related to aggression, drug use, and delinquent behaviors, and a higher order problem behavior factor (Farrell, Kung, White, Valois, 2006). Life-skills training programs that have been developed based on problem behavior theory are built on the philosophy that targeting the underlying determinants (such as personal and social competence skills) will affect the factors that cause the risk behavior. Similarly, social bonding theory links healthy attachments to family and school as factors that protect youth from deviant behavior; unhealthy attachments are regarded as risk factors (Farrell, Kung, White, Valois, 2006). Instead of focusing on preventing something negative from happening to youth, some recent programs emphasize youth involvement and empowerment, which shifts the focus to promoting positive youth development. In this approach, youth are considered as assets and resources rather than problems or â€Å"targets.† Prevention programs, such as the Youth Relationships Program have expanded the role of theory to include youth empowerment as a central theme in educating youth about positive, healthy relationships program and the avoidance of violence and abuse. Several factors have been identified as being essential components of prevention programs among adolescents, regardless of the topic. The location of the program is often debated as to whether schools or other community service agencies are better. In the case of sexuality and education prevention programs, there is no question that these programs should be offered in schools; however, what programs should be taught remain a concern (Kirby Coyle, 1997). Some groups favor teaching abstinence until marriage only, while others favor education regarding contraception and sexuality. Similarly, dating violence prevention programs have been offered in schools and in community service agencies with varying degrees of success. These programs may be most effective when embedded in a declared school context of â€Å"zero tolerance† for any type of school violence. The advantages of school-based programs include access to youth, space, and time, and staffing support. The disadvantages include concerns that truant youth, who may need the program most, are not available in the schools; disclosures of abuse in the classroom may not be handled well in a large classroom situation; a large group may not be a safe place to discuss personal beliefs and attitudes; and learning may be limited to only the school context of the individuals life. These concerns notwithstanding, the main advantage of community-based programs has been the development of community partnerships. Although the advantages may not be inherently evident in the results of the prevention program itself (i.e., preventing something bad is hard to prove), such programs appear to reduce duplication of services, increase cooperation and efficiency among service providers, and help integrate services into the community. In turn, communities that have a â€Å"face†-a reputation for cooperative and active prevention-have significantly reduced the perceived and actual levels of violence, even in the poorest neighborhoods (Sampson Morenoff, 1997). Advocates of prevention programs favor sustained, long-term efforts in education to make prevention successful. Programs should be on-going from kindergarten to the final year of high school, and should be especially intensive just prior to the age of initiation of substance use or similar risk behaviors. Unfortunately, it seems that this does not transfer readily into practice. In the case of sexuality education in Canada, a report by the Council of Ministers of Education indicates that curriculum time in schools available for sexuality education has been reduced as health education becomes combined with physical and career education. Fewer public health nurses in schools also severely reduced the quality and availability of preventive sexual health education services to adolescents (Council of Ministers of Education of Canada, 1999). Pregnancy prevention and sexuality education programs, while deemed extremely important in reducing teen pregnancy rates and incidence of sexually transmitted disease, are critically received by a number of groups and agencies when being implemented in communities. Differing views regarding how to handle this issue conflict with effective program implementation. For example, some religious and moral beliefs dictate that youth should remain abstinent during adolescence, that parents are responsible for protecting their children from negative influences, and that education will positively influence knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs. Programs that focus on abstinence or pregnancy prevention have typically been delivered to females only. While females need to take responsibility for their choices and actions, males also need to be educated about the same issues in order to make responsible choices as well. Males who have unprotected sex are also at risk of becoming fathers and contracting sexually transmitted diseases (Pierre, Shrier, Emans, DuRant, 2006). Substance abuse prevention programs have typically been school-based and education focused (Botvin Botvin, 2002). Evaluations of earlier programs have consistently found them to be ineffective. One school-based intervention was able to show significant reductions in drug use enduring for six years after implementation of the program. The success of this program was attributed to teaching a combination of resistance and social competence skills, the proper implementation of the program, and sufficient length for program with at least two years of booster implementations (Botvin, Schinke, Epstein, Diaz, Borvin, 2005). The Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (Brounstein Zweig, 2000) has identified six prevention strategies that can be used in combination to develop prevention programs that focus on risk and protective factors for substance abuse, including: information dis semination, prevention education, alternatives, problem identification and referral, community-based process, and environmental approaches. The Center for Substance Abuse Prevention has recently completed an analysis of substance abuse prevention programs that have been evaluated. Rigorous statistical criteria for evaluation were adopted, resulting in the definition of eight model programs which have adopted a combination of these prevention strategies, representing a number of age groups, as well as universal, selective, and indicated prevention for children and youth (Brounstein Zweig, 2000). Of all these programs, only one included information regarding sex or health education, and one provided information and skills for violence and gang prevention and conflict resolution. Although these programs were successful in reducing risk factors and increasing protective factors, they did not demonstrate alcohol and drug use prevention. Unfortunately, there are no existing programs that address alcohol and dating violence prevention together. Although some alcohol abuse prevention programs do discuss or deal with aggression, it is usually in the context of community violence not intimate interpersonal violence. A review of prevention programs that focus on teenage sexual risk behavior indicated that they also were narrowly focused to one aspect of this behavior, that is, abstinence only, contraception programs, and HIV/AIDS awareness programs (Kirby Coyle, 2007). It is time to begin linking these risk behaviors together in universal and targeted prevention efforts, focusing on the intimate and personal effects of these risk behaviors on teenage dating relationships. Adolescence provides an opportunity to enter into discussions regarding the impact, consequence, and prevalence of these behaviors and explore the perceived benefits and drawbacks of these risk behaviors. Prevention programs can offer an opportunity for youth and adults to engage in discussions regarding the motivators for initiating these behaviors and relevant information regarding short term effects. Prevention of specific risk behaviors requires community coordination and varied input. Parents, teachers, school officials, health care workers, and community workers need to be part of strategies to prevent risk behaviors. Community organizations and resources have learned to work collaboratively on a number of issues, including violence, alcohol, drug use, and the prevention of pregnancy. Collaboration and coordination helps to reduce costs and improve efficiency as well as build community. The growing research provides evidence that youth may possess a number of concurrent risk factors for any of the behaviors that are outlined in this chapter. There is overlap among the risk factors and behaviors and, therefore, prevention programs need to better consider the clustering of these components and develop programs that will address a number of these issues simultaneously (Saner Ellickson, 2006). However, intervention and prevention programs have been weak in helping youth to manage risk and anticipate risky situations in advance. Because all risks cannot be eliminated, youth need to learn how to manage them. 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