East Chicago - Indiana University Public Policy Institute

Transcription

Consumption and Consequences of Cocaine and Crack in East Chicago, IN:
A Local Epidemiological Profile 2008
Developed by the East Chicago Local Epidemiology and Outcomes Workgroup
2008
Our Vision
A united, healthy and safe drug- free community
Our Mission
To reduce substance use, especially Cocaine, among youth and young adults in East Chicago
Published by the: Geminus Corporation 2008
Written by: Ann M. Vasquez, MSW, LSW, Guadalupe P. Lopez BA, and Meredith
McGinley, MA
Cover Illustration: Armando Mandy Gomez City of East Chicago
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This document, written for state policy-makers and community leaders, presents data and analysis to
support the development of a framework for advancing the mission of the Indiana Substance Abuse
Prevention System.
This document and the efforts described herein were found through a Strategic Prevention Framework
State Incentive Grant (SPF-SIG) from the Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse
and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention
(CSAP).
For additional copies of this document, contact:
Geminus Corporation
Prevention Department
8400 Louisiana Street
Merrillville, IN 46410-6353
Phone: 219-757-1811
FAX: 219-757-1856
www.geminus.org
Printed in the United States of America
STATEMENT OF REPRODUCIBILITY
Permission is granted, free of charge, to photocopy pages of this document that are not copyrighted.
Permission to reproduce from government sources is traditionally freely granted by the U.S
Government. If the analysis included in this report is quoted, the source should be credited.
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The City of East Chicago, Indiana Local Epidemiology and Outcomes Workgroup
(LEOW)
Meredith McGinley
Research Analyst
6819 Indianapolis Blvd.
Hammond, IN 46324
Karen Stone,
Research Analyst
Indian University Northwest
3400 Broadway
Gary, IN 46408
Albert Gay, MSM,CPP
Director of Prevention Services
Program Director, DSA 01
Geminus Corporation
8400 Louisiana Street.
Merrillville, IN 46410
Sharon Strbjak
Health and Social Services Coordinator
Administration
School City of East Chicago
East Chicago, IN 46312
Annette King,
Family Development Coordinator
Northwest Indiana Community Action
5240 Fountain Dr.
Crown Point, IN 46307
Tim Sutherland
Data Center Director
Indiana University Northwest,
3400 Broadway
Gary, Indiana 46408
Detective Edward Rodriguez,
East Chicago Police Department
2301 E. Columbus Drive
East Chicago, IN 46312
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Table of Contents
Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…..5
Community Profile………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………5
Mediating/Moderating Varibales………………………………………………………………………………………………………..7
1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..10
2. METHODS…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………10
Data………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………...…10
Communities That Care……………………………………………………………………………………………………….……11
National Archives of Criminal Justice Data
(NACID)…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………....12
Alcohol and Drug Treatment Episodes and Admissions Data/Treatment Episodes Data Set
(TEDS)……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….12
Data Analysis…………………………………………………………………….………………………………………………………12
3. FINDINGS REGARDING COCAINE USE…………..………………………………………………………………………………….12
Youth Substance Use………….…………………………………………………………………………………………….………12
Hispanic Use…………………………..…………………………………………………………………………………………………15
4. FINDINGS REGARDING OTHER SUBSTANCE USE AND ABUSE.............................................................17
5. CO-OCCURING SUBSTANCES…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….21
6. CONSEQUENCES…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…………..24
Cocaine and Anti-Social/Academic Outcomes…………………………………………………………………………..24
Cocaine and Crime……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………24
7. CONCLUSION.........................................................................................................................................25
8. GRAPHS
MAP 1….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…….28
MAP 2….……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….….29
MAP 3…….……………………………………………………….…………………………………………………………….…….…..30
MAP 4……….………………………………………………………….……………………………………………………….……..….31
MAP 5………….…………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………..…………..32
MAP 6…………….…………………………………………………………..…………………………………..…………….…….…..33
MAP 7……………….…………………………………………………………………………………………………..….…...….…….34
MAP 8………………….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…..….35
MAP 9…………………….………………………………………………………………………………………………..………….…..36
9. FOCUS GROUPS …………………………………………………………………………………………………APPENDIX A…..37-53
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Epidemiology Profile of East Chicago, Indiana
INTRODUCTION
In July 2007, Geminus Corporation received a block grant from SAMHSA/CSAP and administered by
FSSA/DMHA. This block grant was named the Strategic Prevention Framework State Incentive Grant
(SPF-SIG). “The SPF-SIG grant program represents a continuation of ongoing CSAP initiatives to
encourage states to engage in data-based decision-making in the area of substance abuse prevention
planning and grant making.” (Indiana Prevention Resource Center, 2008)
The SPF-SIG uses a five-step process know to promote youth development, reduce risk-taking behaviors,
build assets and resilience, and prevent problem behaviors across the life span. Efforts will be directed
at reducing cocaine use among 18-25 year olds. East Chicago is an urban industrialized community that
borders the southwest corner of Lake Michigan. The East Chicago’s Local Epidemiology Outcomes
Workgroup (LEOW) attempted to identify areas where East Chicago exhibits significantly higher rates
than that of the nation, state and county in consumption and/or negative consequences associated with
each substance. The LEOW relied on various data sources such as the State’s 2008 SEOW report,
Communities That Care Survey (CTCS), National Archive of Criminal Justice (NACJD), Treatment Episode
Data System (TEDS) and Focus Groups that were conducted to provide new qualitative information.
These focus groups were moderated by Golden Recognition, Inc., a minority owned consulting firm,
located in Gary, Indiana. The Communities That Care Survey was administered by the School City of East
Chicago in November 2007. Grades 7th-12th participated in this survey. The East Chicago Police were
able to provide drug arrest and gang data. This data was used to produce GIS mapping.
COMMUNITY PROFILE
History of East Chicago: To understand East Chicago today one must understand its origination and
development through the decades. East Chicago started as a subdivision in 1888 when a British
investment firm bought land from George Clark, a civil engineer. In that same year the Chicago &
Calumet Terminal Beltline linked East Chicago to Chicago through a truck rail system. East Chicago was
later incorporated as a town in 1889 and reincorporated as a city in 1893.
Two changes took place in the early 1900’s that transformed East Chicago’s destiny. First, in 1901,
Inland Steel built a plant at Indiana Harbor making East Chicago an industrial center. Second, in 1903
the East Chicago Company (ECC) took control of the residential and municipal planning. By 1907, East
Chicago had dredged the Indiana Harbor Ship Canal creating the first navigable waterway connecting
Lake Michigan to the Grand Calumet River.
By 1930, East Chicago boasted an industrialized city which supplied coal, iron, petroleum refineries,
construction, manufacturing, and chemical factories to Northwest Indiana. East Chicago quickly grew in
population to a peak of 57,669 in 1960. (Valliant, 2005)
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Downward turn of the Steel Industry: During the 1980’s under President Ronald Reagan, East Chicago,
along with the rest of Northwest Indiana, experienced a total of 55,000 lost jobs. Increased competition
from imports also caused massive layoffs. Half of the 70,000 employees who worked in the steel plants
were laid off. Finally, in 2001, LTV Steel closed its doors eliminating 8,000 jobs in East Chicago. As East
Chicago lost its job base, the city’s population dropped quickly; by 2006, the population was 30,594.
(Schrepp, January 27th, 2002)
The influence of HOPE VI: HOPE VI is a federal program under the Housing and Urban Development
Department, HUD, which promotes the revitalization of housing projects physically, managerially, and
socially. It uses a one third ration for the voucher system. One third of the residents are able to afford
the rent without assistance, one third receives some assistance and the last third are completely
subsidized by the government (Chicago Housing Authority, 2007). As part of HOPE VI, Mayor John Daley
during the 1990s demolished the Cabrini Green and Robert Taylor Housing Projects in Chicago. The
demolition was part of a plan to convert public housing into mixed housing in hopes of reducing stigmas,
gang activity, drug solicitation and violence.
Several East Chicago key community leaders believe that many of these Chicago residents were
displaced into the outlying communities including Hammond and East Chicago, Indiana. These leaders
claim that there are too many Illinois license plates displayed on cars at public housing units and
apartments. This raises the question, are these cars the property of Indiana residents or Illinois
residents that maybe collecting Indiana government monies without transferring permanent residency?
Or, are these residents from Illinois actually double dipping? Others believe that the schools just use this
as an excuse to blame Chicago for their problems. (Refer to focus group results Appendix A)
Furthermore, key leaders also were concerned about the demolition of the River Park Apartments in
2006. These apartments were located at the south end of Hammond, Indiana, hanging on the fringe of
the highly traveled expressway, 80/ 94 and the cross road of Kennedy Avenue. This apartment complex
which was comprised of mixed incomes was notorious for criminal activity. Many of the residents were
section 8 recipients. The complex was demolished because it failed to meet section eight standards
(Mayor Tom Mc Dermott, 2008) Again, the question arises, where did these displaced tenants relocate?
Corruption/Political Patronage: East Chicago residents are experiencing trust issues with local and
county politicians. According to The Times Newspaper, Operation Restore Public Integrity, a Federal
investigation and prosecution, secured convictions of 42 public officials and municipal contractors,
mainly in East Chicago, Gary and Lake County government. Most prosecutions ranged from
misappropriation of federal funds, voter fraud, conspiracy in connection with the sidewalks-for-votes,
and bribes. An additional four public officials are awaiting trial. (Carlson, September 30, 2007)
Current City Profile: East Chicago, Indiana is an urban industrialized city located in the Northwest
Corner of Lake County, Indiana. One of East Chicago’s natural borders is Lake Michigan. The city of East
Chicago had a population of 32, 414, reported in the 2000 U.S. Census. The 2000 U.S. Census also
reported that 36.1% of the population was African American, and 51.6% was Hispanic or Latino.
However, East Chicago’s 2003 population dropped to 31,366, and by 2006, the population was 30,594.
East Chicago experienced a 5.95% population decline from 2000 to 2006. (stats.indiana.edu) This
reduction in population may affect the economy by lowering the tax base and school enrollment.
Interestingly, East Chicago has the highest concentration of Hispanics in the state and 46% speak a
language other than English. Additionally, the foreign-born population percentage is significantly above
the state average. (City-Data, 2007)(www.city-data.com/city/East-Chicago-Indiana)
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Vacant housing indices indicate that there is a 15.4% vacancy of available housing units for the year
2007 (Indiana Prevention Resource Center-Prev-Stat, 2008). This number has increased since the latest
census (2000) when 11.7% housing vacancy rates were reported by the U.S. Census Bureau.
MEDIATING/MODERATING VARIABLES
Poverty: East Chicago residents have devastatingly low-income levels with a high percentage of citizens
living significantly under the poverty level. For example, in the last Census 22.5% of East Chicago families
were below the poverty level, compared to 9.2% of families in the United States. Additionally, 93% of
students received Free Lunches/Textbooks during the school year of 2006-2007. This is higher than both
the state level (29.4%) and the Lake County level (36.6%) in the same year (Indiana Prevention Resource
Center-Prev-Stat, 2008). Notably, this level has risen steadily over the past five years. (Department of
Education, 2007, www.doe.in.gov)
Unemployment: East Chicago’s unemployment rate rose between November 2006 (6.7%) and
November 2007 (7.2%). When comparing the national, state, county and city unemployment rates for
2006, East Chicago’s rate was higher than Lake County (5.8%), the State of Indiana (5%), and the United
States (4.6%). (http://www.hoosierdata.in.gov/)
The East Chicago School System: The School System in East Chicago is currently on academic probation
status according to the Department Of Education. The state high school graduation rate is currently at
76 % and East Chicago’s rate is 55%. This corporation has high expulsion and suspension rates. During
the school year of 2006-2207, the school system reported 89 students were expelled (36 expulsions due
to weapons, drugs or alcohol) and 705 were suspended. (www.doe.in.gov) Conservative estimates from
the school survey, Communities That Care, of East Chicago junior and senior high schools (see below)
suggest that 43% of students in 7th -12th grade have reported being suspended at some point in the last
year. (95% C.I.: 39.77% - 45.75%)
Gambling Boat/ Resorts East Chicago: Northwest Indiana’s Riverboats were opened during 1992-93.
Although riverboats generate millions in tax monies they also create millions in loss. “Social costs” are
losses measured to society and they include: increased crime, bankruptcy, and divorce. A report is
available on-line (Urbanik, March 13, 2006). East Chicago’s floating casino is a publicly traded, private
corporation so the tax revenue stays with the local community and the state governmental units.
Resorts East Chicago, has many positive and negative effects on the City of East Chicago.
For example, benefits include one percent of the gross revenues being paid to the Foundations of East
Chicago, FEC, a nonprofit organization. Second Century, a private corporation receives .75% of the
revenues. Both Foundations and Second Century’s percents were originally designed to be used for
economic development. However, only FEC has publicly displayed the whereabouts of their monies from
the boat’s revenues. FEC reports their grants and grantees in a quarterly newsletter. Since Second
Century Corporation is not required to report their economic development, much remains unknown
about the 16 million the Second Century Corporation has received since 1994. (Office of the Attorney
General, 2006) (News Release November 8, 2006)
www.in.gov/attorneygeneral/press/AGFollowsECCasinoAgreementCaseloadtothe
IndianaCourtofAppeals.html.
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Since Foundations of East Chicago (FEC) is a non-for-profit organization, it publishes and distributes a
newsletter that details where the funding is awarded. Organizations applying for a grant through the
FEC must be registered with the IRS as a 501(C)(3) agency. Additionally, applying agencies must be
located in the city of East Chicago. FEC awarded one million dollars to over 13 community organizations
during the first quarter of 2007. Organizations focusing on community health, safety, scholarships,
career development, sports, and spiritual growth (i.e., churches) were the recipients of this first quarter
funding. (East Chicago Foundations Spring newsletter, 2007, www.foundationssec.org) If Resorts ever
closes, East Chicago would suffer a huge loss of community monies.
Second Century’s reports are shielded and not displayed for the public. This shielding caused yet
another corruption investigation. In 2006, Attorney General Steve Carter urged the court of appeals to
render the original 1994 agreement of channeling the boat’s revenues to Second Century as illegal. In
December of 2007, the Indiana Court of Appeals published its opinion upholding the original agreement.
Over one million dollars was placed into escrow while the case was being decided. Although the Court
of Appeals upheld the legality of the contract for the Second Century, public trust may be further
wounded by the lack of accountability displayed by Second Century.
Resorts Costs to Society: According to the Chesterton Tribune, casinos’ corrosion is felt the most for
those nearest the boat. Furthermore, in 2005, an independent study completed by the firm Policy
Analytics LLC, found that the cost to society for problems created by casinos accounts for 9-12 percent
of the revenues generated. About 8 percent of the crime in counties with casinos is due to the presence
of the casinos and 1.4% of total bankruptcies. Gamblers at the East Chicago Casino ranked third in the
amount of money lost ($310 million) and third in admissions for addiction issues. ($ 3.6 million)
(Urbanik, Chesterton Tribune, March 13, 2006)
http://chestertontribune.com/PoliceFireEmergency/casinos_social_corrosion_worst_n.htm
Business Sector: East Chicago does not have many structured activities for their young adults, aged 1825. Residents must travel twenty to thirty minutes to Merrillville or Schererville just to view a movie at
the theaters. A comprehensive redevelopment paper was written in July of 2007 by The Lakota Group
for the City of East Chicago. This report points out that bars/liquor stores are over-represented and that
there is a lack of range of retail, entertainment and restaurants, and a lack of a bowling alley,
gymnastics, karate and arts oriented programs. Furthermore, there are many unattractive streetscapes,
vacant properties, limited range of shops and services, excessive parking, soil contamination from
nearby industrial uses. Lastly, the report states that more land is zoned for commercial use than the
market has a demand. The city should take this report seriously and follow as many recommendations
as possible to attract and keep new businesses and new citizens. New social facilities should be built to
fill in the gaps of entertainment which most cities possess. (Lakota Group, July 2007)
The burden of Cocaine and crack use on East Chicago citizens: This burden can be viewed both directly
and indirectly. Direct costs include: drug treatment, health care costs, costs of goods and services lost to
crime, law enforcement, incarceration, and the taxing of the judicial system. Indirect costs are incurred
as a loss of productivity from death, negative health consequences, drug-abuse related illnesses and
victims of crimes. (Drug Enforcement Agency website, 2007, www.justthinktwice.com/costs/)
Funding: East Chicago was funded for the reduction of Cocaine among 18-25 year olds. The funding
sources found that East Chicago had both a high risk and high priority level for cocaine use.
Furthermore, National Statistics revealed that Hispanics had the highest rates of Cocaine use in the
country and East Chicago has the highest number of Hispanics in the state of Indiana. (State
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Epidemiologic Outcomes Workgroup, Indiana Report, 2006) There were no available statistics on
cocaine use by Hispanics at the state level.
Legal and Criminal Consequences of Cocaine Use: The East Chicago Police Department has identified 9
different criminal gangs that operate in East Chicago (See Figure 6 & 7). Crimes committed by these
gangs include: shootings, murders and drug deals with the greater majority of crimes being drug related.
To increase their productivity these gangs reportedly share territory rather than fight over it to reduce
unwanted police attention.
Lake County’s High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, HIDTA, reports in their April 2007 assessment that
East Chicago Gangs in particular are more likely to utilize sophisticated communication and counter
surveillance techniques. Area gangs use innovative means of financing their operations to appear
legitimate to the authorities. Three tactics are specifically mentioned in this report. First, gangs buy
government “project” homes and renovate them for resale at a profit. Secondly, gangs in East Chicago
are purchasing legitimate small cash based businesses so that they can commingle legitimate and
illegitimate funds. Thirdly, the gangs are “washing their money” through the river boat casinos. Gang
members will use drug monies to purchase gaming chips which they later turn in as winnings which
appear legitimate. Finally, this report reinforces the findings in our focus group. Key stake holders
interviewed in our focus groups believed that the demolition of the Chicago Housing Projects and the
displacement of their residents have negatively affected East Chicago’s urban environment. HIDTA
reports that many gang members have moved to East Chicago due to lenient gun laws, access to major
crossroads, access to easy storage, and a central redistribution location.
HIDTA’s outlook and projection look poor and includes: increased whole sale of cocaine, heroin, and
marijuana distribution, increased use of Lake County as a hub for distribution of street drugs, spread of
gang activity into surrounding areas, and an increase of heroin use among young Caucasians. Lastly, the
report states that without new gun control laws, the gangs will continue to buy firearms here in Indiana
to distribute to Chicago, Michigan and other outlying areas with tougher gun control laws. (April 2007
HIDTA Assessment Report)
East Chicago has a Gang and Narcotic Unit that promotes an informational website and provides antigang information to students and parents. (www.eastchicago.com/policegang.html ) This presentation
reports that there are many family motives for joining gangs which include: a stressful life at home, lack
of parental involvement, low or non-existent expectations from parents, limited English speaking
households, abuse or neglect, and permissive truancy attitudes. Individual or personal motives include:
low motivation, low educational/occupational expectations, low self-esteem, behavior/discipline
problems, drug abuse, and peer pressure, protection, and negative police involvement, glamorization by
media in fashion, music, and television. Coincidently, these are also many of the risk factors that
prevention professionals focus on when choosing prevention based programs. (Power point provided by
the East Chicago Police Department, 2007)
Positive Factors/Protective factors: Programs: Currently, East Chicago has many after school programs
to delay adolescents from experimenting with drugs by decreasing opportunity and boredom. East
Chicago offers the following: Afternoons ROCK, Circle Around Families, LEAD, programs through the
park’s department, Katherine’s Boys and Girls Clubs, a North Township Trustees’ Office Healthy East
Chicago, Parents as Teachers, St. Catherine’s Hospital, Tri-City Mental Health, Indian Harbor Little
League, Indiana National Guard’s Drug Demand Reduction, The United Way’s Alse Clemente Center and
the Robertson Child Development Center.
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Afternoons ROCK is an excellent program for after school hours servicing 10 -14 year olds. Afternoons
ROCK is a nationally recognized program with National Registry for Evidenced based Programs and
Policies. Afternoons ROCK activities include: conflict resolution, refusal/resistance skills, gang
prevention programs, violence prevention, awareness of peer and social influences, advertising
pressures and how to structure leisure time without alcohol or drugs. There are currently eight
Afternoons ROCK sites in East Chicago. East Chicago adolescents who are arrested and placed on
juvenile probation are referred to Tri-City for the All Stars program. The All Stars program is a universal
program to strengthen five qualities: developing positive ideals and future aspirations, establishing
positive norms, building strong personal commitments, promoting bonding with school and community
organizations, and promoting positive parental attentiveness. Circle Around Families is a wrap around
service provided to individuals 6-18 years of age who are at risk of being removed from home,
diagnosed with a serious emotional disorder, or are involved in or need two or more human service
systems.
1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
As a requirement of the grant, seven workgroups were created. The SPF-SIG staff hosted an
informational luncheon in collaboration with Drug Free Communities. The purpose of this event was to
recruit membership for the following seven workgroups: Local Advisory Council (LAC), Local
Epidemiology Outcomes Workgroup (LEOW), Evaluation, Training/Outreach, Cultural Competency,
Youth/Young Adult, Program and Policy. This event was successful in filling all but the Youth/Young
Adult and the Evaluation Workgroups. The LAC Workgroup met in November of 2007 and further
recruitment helped to find a chair, Nora Cheek, for the Youth/Young Adult workgroup. Nora together
with SPF-SIG staff was able to recruit youth members from the high school and two church youth
groups. The Evaluation Workgroup continues to be a difficult workgroup to fill.
The LEOW workgroup started out slow and remains small in numbers; but consistent and dedicated to
the SPF-SIG process. The first meeting was held in November of 2007. Through this process, we were
able to attract community members from various sectors including the East Chicago Police Department,
School City of East Chicago, Heartland Center, Indiana University Northwest, and the North Township
Trustee’s Office. East Chicago’s LEOW has met monthly to complete tasks as outlined by the grant.
2. METHODS
East Chicago’s LEOW met once a month and recruitment was slow. Sharon Strbjak and Detective
Rodriguez were aboard from the first meeting. Ms. Strbjak has been instrumental as a gatekeeper
between the LEOW and the East Chicago School Administration. Sharon was able to submit a proposal
to the board to have the Communities That Care Survey and the IPRC’s Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug
Survey administered once in November of 2007 and March of 2008. Ms. Maria Dalhoumi, the school’s
director of secondary education administered the Communities That Care Survey to grades 7-12.
Meredith McGinley, a doctoral student currently working at the Heartland Center, analyzed the raw data
from the Communities That Care survey for LEOW. Golden Recognition Inc., a local marketing group,
was hired in November of 2007 to conduct four focus groups. Golden Recognition provided a full report
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on February 1, 2008. Qualitative information obtained from this report will be used in both the
epidemiological report and the strategic plan.
Our Local Epidemiology and Outcomes Workgroup (LEOW) workgroup decided that tasks should be
assigned and based on each member’s unique areas of expertise as well as their access to pertinent raw
data. For example, our data was interpreted and analyzed by Doctoral student Meredith McGinley and
our mapping was created by Tim Sutherland, Cele Morris, and Karen Stone from Indiana University
Northwest Center for Data and Analysis.
Our Local Advisory Council (LAC) is our workgroup responsible for creating a Strategic Plan to address
local substance abuse issues based on date provided by the LEOW. Also, they will govern the entire SPFSIG project.
DATA SOURCES
The data for these analyses were gathered from various publicly available federal state and local surveys
and data sets. The following paragraphs describe the surveys and data sources used to complete this
report.
Communities That Care Survey (CTCS)
The CTCS was administered to East Chicago students in grades 7-12 (several 6th grade students were
excluded from the overall analysis). The CTCS was provided by Pride Surveys
(http://www.pridesurveys.com/supportfiles/CTC_Survey.pdf). This survey has been found to be a valid
and reliable measure of several aspects of youth drug use, antisocial behavior, and a variety of
protective and risk factors related to peers, family and the community (Arthur, Hawkins, Pollard,
Catalon, & Baglioni, 2002). Pride Surveys also compiled responses and provided the LEOW with raw data
for analysis.
Youth who complete the CTCS are asked to report on their lifetime (use of the drug at least once in the
respondent’s life) and monthly (also known as current use, defined as use at least once in the 30 days
prior to the survey) use of a wide range of drugs, including alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, cocaine, heroin,
LSD, ecstasy, methamphetamine, inhalants, and prescription drugs (e.g., Xanax, Ritalin). To our
knowledge, this is the first time the CTCS has been administered in East Chicago schools.
The CTCS was designed to filter out students who lie on self-report surveys. In this survey, students who
responded positively to two questions regarding a fake drug (“Derbisol” use over the last 30 days and in
one’s lifetime) were not included in the final analysis. Additional criteria were used to identify
exaggerated responses. Youth who reported using illicit drugs (e.g., cocaine, heroin) more than 120
times in the last 30 days were excluded. Other students responded illogically to many questions. For
example, students would report they did not use marijuana in their lifetime, but then reported that they
began using the drug at the age of 15. Students with 4 or more illogic responses were not included.
Illogical items for other students were deleted on a case-by-case basis. Additionally, students who did
not respond to any of the drug-related questions were not included in the final analysis.
The CTCS survey results cannot be directly compared with results from any survey reported in the SEOW
report due to the data quality-assurance measures outlined above. To our knowledge, other surveys
such as the ATOD or the YRBSS do not take similar measures. Thus, data cannot be directly compared to
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one other. If one wishes to compare to state and national levels, it should be done so in a limited and
cautious fashion.
National Archive of Criminal Justice Data (NACJD)
Arrest statistics were used when analyzing juvenile cocaine-related crime trends. Arrest statistics, but
not crime reported statistics; provide information on the juvenile status of the offender. The arrest
statistics analyzed were gathered from the National Archive of Criminal Justice Data (NAJCD) website
(http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/NACJD). The NAJCD compile FBI UCR data, estimate the monthly missing
data (as law enforcement agencies in Indiana are not required to report UCR data), and release it to the
public for research purposes. According to the FBI, juveniles are defined as persons under the age of 18.
An arrest is counted for each person committing the crime. If five people are arrested for one crime, the
arrest data reflect five people were arrested. If one person commits several crimes and is arrested, only
the most serious offense is recorded as one arrest.
Treatment Episode Data System (TEDS)
“The TEDS is a national database maintained by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration (SAMHSA) which records information about individuals entering treatment for substance
abuse and/or dependence. Data are submitted to the TEDS by state mental health departments on an
annual basis. The information reported in the TEDS includes age, race, gender, and other demographic
characteristics, as well as information on the use of various drugs. The TEDS data are publicly available
with a one-year delay between the time data are gathered, and the time when data can be obtained.
The format of the TEDS data allows for comparisons between Indiana and the United States by gender,
race, and age groups. County-level TEDS data are available for Indiana from the Indiana Department of
Mental Health and Addiction. While the TEDS data can provide some information on drug use and abuse
patterns both nationally and at the state level, the population on which data are reported is not
representative of all individuals who receive drug and alcohol treatment. For Indiana, the TEDS data are
limited to information about individuals entering substance abuse treatment who are 200% below the
poverty level and who are receiving state-funded treatment” (SEOW report, 2006, p. 12) Data were
accessed from http://www.sis.indiana.edu/TreatmentDataDesc.aspx.
Data Analysis
Analysis on the CTCS survey was conducted with the SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences)
statistical analysis software. Statistical comparisons were made across gender, racial, and grade groups
for drug-consumption behaviors. For all comparisons, a p value of .05 or less was used to determine
statistical significance.
FINDINGS REGARDING COCAINE USE
Youth Substance Use
In order to focus on a group closer to the age of interest in the East Chicago SPF-SIG, 9th – 12th graders
were primarily examined. The Communities that Care Survey (CTCS) administered at East Chicago
schools revealed that 3.73% (95% C.I.: 2.27-5.20%) of high school students reported they had used
cocaine at some point in their lifetime. Additionally, 1.87% (95% C.I.: .82% -2.92%) are currently using
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cocaine (in the past 30 days). Compared to other illicit drugs (excluding marijuana), more East Chicago
high school students use cocaine (both lifetime and current use) when compared to the use of heroin,
LSD, ecstasy, methamphetamines, and prescription drugs such as Xanax and Ritalin. However, students
more often used substances such as smokeless tobacco, cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana, and inhalants
than cocaine.
Table 1.0
Percentage of East Chicago Students (9th-12th Grade) Reporting Lifetime (at Least Once) and Current
(Past Month) Drug Use (CTCS, 2007)
Smokeless Tobacco
Cigarettes
Alcohol
Marijuana
Inhalants
Cocaine
Heroin
LSD
Ecstasy
Methamphetamines
Xanax
Ritalin
Lifetime
Use
4.04%
35.33%
65.42%
32.52%
5.14%
3.73%
1.09%
1.71%
3.43%
0.94%
2.83%
95% Confidence
Interval
2.52% - 5.56%
31.56% - 39.11%
61.74% - 69.10%
28.81% - 36.23%
3.43% - 6.85%
2.27% - 5.20%
0.29% - 1.89%
0.71% - 2.72%
2.02% - 4.84%
0.19% - 1.68%
1.54% - 4.13%
Current
Use
1.86%
11.85%
29.94%
15.38%
2.35%
1.87%
0.78%
0.78%
1.26%
0.78%
1.42%
95% Confidence
Interval
0.82% - 2.90%
9.38% - 14.33%
26.32% - 33.55%
12.58% - 18.19%
1.17% - 3.53%
0.82% - 2.92%
0.10% - 1.46%
0.10% - 1.47%
0.39% - 2.12%
0.10% - 1.46%
0.50% - 2.34%
1.10%
0.29% - 1.90%
0.63%
0.01% - 1.24%
Male students in East Chicago had higher rates of lifetime and current cocaine use than female students
in East Chicago. An estimated 6.86% of males (95% C.I.: 3.88% – 9.84%) reported lifetime use, whereas
1.39% of females reported lifetime use (95% C.I.: .18% – 2.61%). This difference was statistically
significant (Pearson chi square = 12.867, p < .001). Additionally, 2.90% of males (95% C.I.: .92% – 4.88%)
reported current use, compared to 1.12% of females (95% C.I.: .03% – 2.21%) reporting current use. This
difference was not statistically significant.
13
Table 1.1
Percentage of East Chicago Students (9th – 12th Grade) Reporting Lifetime (at Least Once) and Current
(Past Month) Cocaine use, by Gender (CTCS, 2007)
8%
7%
6%
5%
4%
3%
2%
1%
0%
Lifetime
Current
Male
6.86%
2.90%
Female
1.39%
1.12%
Examining grade-level rates, 9th graders reported the lowest levels of both lifetime and current cocaine
use when compared to their older counterparts. The lifetime use rate for 9th graders was 2.64% (95%
C.I.: .55% – 4.73%), which was lower than the 10th grade rate (4.28%; 95% C.I.: 1.37% – 7.19%), the 11th
grade rate (3.94%, 95% C.I.: .54% – 7.33%), and the 12th grade rate (4.90%; 95% C.I.: .69% – 9.11%). No
significant differences were found among these grades. For current use, results were similar. For 9th
graders, the rate was 1.33% (0.00% – 2.82%), which again was lower than 10th graders (2.15%; 95% C.I.:
.06% – 4.24%), 11th graders (2.36%; 95% C.I.: 0.00% – 5.01%), and 12th graders (1.96%; 95% C.I.: 0.00% –
4.66%). Again, these differences were not statistically significant.
Additionally, we compared 7th and 8th grade students who completed the CTCS to their high school
counterparts. In general, lifetime and current use for 7th (1.13%, 95% C. I.: .03% – 2.24%) and 8th graders
(1.85%, 95% C. I.: .24% – 3.45%) was lower than use by high school students. Lifetime use by 7th grade
students was significantly lower than 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students (Pearson chi square range =
3.991 – 5.797, p’s < .05). Current use by 7th graders (.28%, 95% C. I.: 0.00% - .84%) and 8th graders
(1.10%, 95% C. I.: 0.00% – 2.35%) was again lower than their high school counterparts. Additionally,
current use by 7th graders was significantly lower than students in 10th (Pearson chi square = 4.621, p <
.05) and 11th (Pearson chi square = 4.885, p < .05) grade.
14
Table 1.2
Percentage of East Chicago Students (7th-12th Grade) Reporting Lifetime (at Least Once) and Current
(Past Month) Cocaine use, by Grade (CTCS, 2007)
6%
5%
4%
3%
2%
1%
0%
Lifetime
Current
7th grade
1.13%
0.28%
8th grade
1.85%
1.10%
9th grade
2.64%
1.33%
10th grade
4.28%
2.15%
11th grade
3.94%
2.36%
12th grade
4.90%
1.96%
Regarding race/ethnicity, comparisons could only be made among Hispanic and Black students. No
comparisons could be made with White or “other” race students as their numbers were too low for a
meaningful analysis. Hispanic students reported higher rates of lifetime and current cocaine use than
Black students. Approximately 5.61% (95% C.I.: 3.09 – 8.13%) of sampled Hispanic students reported
lifetime use compared to 0.00% (95% C.I.: 0.00% – 0.00%) of Black students. This difference was
statistically significant (Pearson chi square = 13.618, p < .001). Moreover, a significant difference was
found among race/ethnicity for current cocaine use (Pearson chi square = 5.999, p < .05). Hispanic
students reported a rate of 2.52% (95% C.I: .79% – 4.24%), whereas Black students again reported no
cocaine use.
Hispanic Use
Because of the higher levels of cocaine use in Hispanics, this group was further investigated by
examining differences among Hispanic males and females, as well as Hispanic 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th
15
graders. Hispanic males reported a higher lifetime cocaine use (10.64%, 95% C. I.: 5.53% – 15.75%) than
Hispanic females (1.72%, 95% C. I.: 0.00% – 3.66%). This difference was statistically significant (Pearson
chi square = 11.487, p < .001). Hispanic males also reported higher current cocaine use (3.62%, 95% C. I.:
.49% – 6.75%) than Hispanic females (1.72%, 95% C. I.: 0.00% – 3.66%), although this difference did not
reach the p < .05 level of significance.
Regarding grade-level statistics, Hispanic 9th graders again reported the lowest levels of current and
lifetime cocaine use. The lifetime use rate for Hispanic 9th graders was 3.54% (95% C.I.: .12% – 6.96%),
which was lower than the 10th grade rate (5.56%; 95% C.I.: .80% – 10.31%), the 11th grade rate (7.58%,
95% C.I.: 1.14%-14.01%), and the 12th grade rate (7.69%; 95% C.I.: .38% – 15.01%). These differences
were not statistically significant. For current use, results were similar. Freshman reported lower use
(1.77%, 95% C.I.: 0.00% – 4.21%), than 10th graders (2.27%; 95% C.I.: 0.00% – 5.40%), 11th graders
(4.55%; 95% C.I.: 0.00% – 9.61%), and 12th graders (1.96%; 95% C.I.: 0.00% – 5.80%). These differences
were again not statistically significant.
Next, Hispanic 7th and 8th grade cocaine use was compared to Hispanic high school use. Lifetime use by
Hispanic 7th (1.86%, 95% C. I.: 0.00% – 3.96%) and 8th graders (3.20%, 95% C. I.: .10% – 6.30%) was
generally lower than use by Hispanic students in older grades. These differences were not statistically
significant. Current use by Hispanic 7th (.63%, 95% C. I.: 0.00% – 1.85%) and 8th graders (1.59%, 95% C. I.:
0.00% – 3.78%) was again lower than students in older grades. Again, these differences were not
statistically significant.
Table 1.3
Percentage of Hispanic East Chicago Students (9th – 12th Grade) Reporting Lifetime (at Least Once) and
Current (Past Month) Cocaine use, by Gender (CTCS, 2007)
12%
10%
8%
6%
4%
2%
0%
Lifetime
Current
Male
10.64%
3.62%
Female
1.72%
1.72%
16
Table 1.4
Percentage of Hispanic East Chicago Students (7th-12th Grade) Reporting Lifetime (at Least Once) and
Current (Past Month) Cocaine use, by Grade (CTCS, 2007)
9%
8%
7%
6%
5%
4%
3%
2%
1%
0%
Lifetime
Current
7th grade
1.86%
0.63%
8th grade
3.20%
1.59%
9th grade
3.54%
1.77%
10th grade
5.56%
2.27%
11th grade
7.58%
4.55%
12th grade
7.69%
1.96%
FINDINGS REGARDING OTHER SUBSTANCE USE AND ABUSE
Only statistically significant differences (p < .05) will be reported in this section regarding other
substance use and abuse. Overall, male high school students used more smokeless tobacco, cocaine,
heroin, LSD, and Ecstasy over their lifetime than female students (all p’s < .05). Similarly, male high
17
school students used more smokeless tobacco, LSD, and Ecstasy in the past month than female students
(all p’s < .05).
Table 1.5
Percentage of East Chicago Students (9th-12th Grade) Reporting Lifetime (at Least Once) Drug Use, by
Gender (CTCS, 2007)
Smokeless Tobacco
Cigarettes
Alcohol
Marijuana
Inhalants
Cocaine
Heroin
LSD
Ecstasy
Methamphetamines
Xanax
Ritalin
Male
Use
6.74%*
35.06%
64.26%
32.84%
3.64%
6.86%*
2.17%*
3.61%*
5.78%*
1.45%
3.68%
1.46%
95% Confidence
Interval
3.81% - 9.67%
29.36% - 40.75%
58.61% - 69.91%
27.20% - 38.47%
1.42% - 5.85%
3.88% - 9.84%
0.45% - 3.90%
1.41% - 5.81%
3.02% - 8.53%
0.04% - 2.86%
1.44% - 5.92%
0.04% - 2.88%
Female
Use
1.97%*
35.40%
66.48%
32.26%
6.39%
1.39%*
0.28%*
0.28%*
1.68%*
0.56%
2.25%
0.84%
95% Confidence
Interval
0.52% - 3.41%
30.30% - 40.50%
61.58% - 71.38%
27.29% - 37.23%
3.86% - 8.92%
0.18% - 2.61%
0.00% - 0.82%
0.00% - 0.83%
0.34% - 3.01%
0.00% - 1.34%
0.71% - 3.79%
0.00% - 1.78%
*Difference between males and females is statistically significant at the p < .05 level
Table 1.6
Percentage of East Chicago Students (9th – 12th Grade) Reporting Current (Past Month) Drug Use, by
Gender
(Communities that Care Survey, 2007)
Smokeless Tobacco
Cigarettes
Alcohol
Marijuana
Inhalants
Cocaine
Heroin
LSD
Male
Use
3.18%*
13.29%
30.97%
16.79%
1.84%
2.90%
1.45%
1.84%*
95% Confidence
Interval
1.13% - 5.23%
9.35% - 17.23%
25.42% - 36.52%
12.35% - 21.22%
0.24% - 3.44%
0.92% - 4.88%
0.04% - 2.87%
0.24% - 3.44%
18
Female
Use
0.84%*
10.68%
29.45%
14.61%
2.79%
1.12%
0.28%
0.00%*
95% Confidence
Interval
0.00% - 1.79%
7.51% - 13.86%
24.62% - 34.28%
10.93% - 18.28%
1.08% - 4.49%
0.03% - 2.21%
0.00% - 0.83%
0.00% - 0.00%
Ecstasy
Methamphetamines
Xanax
Ritalin
2.55%*
1.45%
1.84%
0.74%
0.68% - 4.41%
0.04% - 2.87%
0.24% - 3.44%
0.00% - 1.75%
0.28%*
0.28%
1.13%
0.56%
0.00% - 0.83%
0.00% - 0.82%
0.03% - 2.23%
0.00% - 1.33%
*Difference between males and females is statistically significant at the p < .05 level
Hispanic high school students used more smokeless tobacco, cigarettes, alcohol, cocaine, and LSD over
their lifetime than Black students (all p’s < .05). Similarly, Hispanic high school students used more
smokeless tobacco, cigarettes, alcohol, and cocaine in the past month than black students (all p’s < .05).
Table 1.7
Percentage of East Chicago Students (9th – 12th Grade) Reporting Lifetime (at Least Once) Drug Use, by
Race/Ethnicity (CTCS, 2007)

Smokeless Tobacco
Cigarettes
Alcohol
Marijuana
Inhalants
Cocaine
Heroin
LSD
Ecstasy
Methamphetamines
Xanax
Ritalin
Black
Use
1.22%*
21.49%*
57.38%*
26.91%
3.83%
0.00%*
0.43%
0.00%*
2.58%
0.00%
0.43%
1.29%
95% Confidence
Interval
0.00% - 2.60%
16.15% - 26.83%
51.07% - 63.69%
21.07% - 32.74%
1.37% - 6.29%
0.00% - 0.00%
0.00% - 1.26%
0.00% - 0.00%
0.54% - 4.61%
0.00% - 0.00%
0.00% - 1.28%
0.00% - 2.75%
Hispanic
Use
6.09%*
44.59%*
70.66%*
33.01%
5.64%
5.61%*
1.25%
1.87%*
3.14%
0.94%
2.55%
0.31%
95% Confidence
Interval
3.43% - 8.75%
39.00% - 50.18%
65.64% - 75.68%
27.76% - 38.26%
3.11% - 8.18%
3.09% - 8.13%
0.03% - 2.47%
0.39% - 3.35%
1.22% - 5.07%
0.00% - 2.00%
0.80% - 4.29%
0.00% - 0.93%
*Difference between Hispanic and Black students is statistically significant at the p < .05 level
19
Table 1.8
Percentage of East Chicago Students (9th – 12th Grade) Reporting Current (Past Month) Drug Use, by
Race/Ethnicity (CTCS, 2007)
Smokeless Tobacco
Cigarettes
Alcohol
Marijuana
Inhalants
Cocaine
Heroin
LSD
Ecstasy
Methamphetamines
Xanax
Ritalin
Black
Use
0.00%*
4.08%*
19.83%*
12.99%
2.14%
0.00%*
0.00%
0.00%
0.87%
0.43%
0.43%
0.86%
95% Confidence
Interval
0.00% - 0.00%
1.60% - 6.56%
14.69% - 24.97%
8.64% - 17.33%
0.28% - 3.99%
0.00% - 0.00%
0.00% - 0.00%
0.00% - 0.00%
0.00% - 2.06%
0.00% - 1.28%
0.00% - 1.29%
0.00% - 2.05%
Hispanic
Use
2.55%*
17.96%*
35.76%*
14.73%
2.21%
2.52%*
1.25%
0.32%
0.95%
0.32%
1.27%
0.00%
95% Confidence
Interval
0.80% - 4.29%
13.76% - 22.15%
30.35% - 41.18%
10.84% - 18.63%
0.59% - 3.83%
0.79% - 4.24%
0.03% - 2.48%
0.00% - 0.94%
0.00% - 2.01%
0.00% - 0.93%
0.03% - 2.52%
0.00% - 0.00%
*Difference between Hispanic and Black students is statistically significant at the p < .05 level
Finally, all drug use across grades 7th – 12th were examined for East Chicago students. For lifetime
smokeless tobacco lifetime use, 11th grade students reported less use than 8th, 10th, and 12th grade
students. No significant differences were found for current smokeless tobacco use. For lifetime
cigarette use, 12th grade use was higher than all other grades, and 10th grade use was higher than 7th
grade use. For current cigarette use, 12th grade use was higher than all other grades (except 11th grade),
and 8th graders reported greater current use than 7th graders.
Seventh grade had lower lifetime and current alcohol use than all other grades. Additionally, 10th, 11th,
and 12th grades reported more lifetime use than both 8th and 9th grades. Seniors currently drank more
than 8th and 9th grade students, and 11th grade reported more current alcohol use than 9th grade.
Looking at lifetime marijuana use, 7th grade students reported lower use than all older grades (except
for 9th grade). Additionally, 9th graders reported less lifetime marijuana use than 8th graders and all older
grades. Seniors also reported more lifetime use than 8th and 10th graders. Patterns were similar for
current use. Seventh grade students reported lower current use than all older grades (except for 9th
grade). Additionally, 9th graders reported less current marijuana use than 8th graders and seniors.
Seniors also reported more current use than 10th graders.
20
Interestingly, 7th and 8th grade students reported more lifetime inhalant use than all older grades. No
significant differences were found among grades for current inhalant use.
Lifetime and current heroin use was lower for 8th grade compared to 10th grade, and current heroin use
was also lower for 7th grade compared to 10th grade. For lifetime LSD use, 7th graders used LSD less often
than 10th and 12th graders. No differences were found for current LSD use. For lifetime ecstasy use, 7th
graders reported less use than 10th and 12th graders. Again, 7th graders reported less current ecstasy use
than seniors.
No significant differences were found among grades when lifetime and current methamphetamine use
and Ritalin (and similar prescription drug) use was examined. However, lifetime Xanax (and similar
prescription drug) use was lower for 7th grade compared 11th and 12th grade, and current use was lower
for 7th grade compared to 11th grade.
CO-OCCURRING SUBSTANCES
Cocaine use was then examined to other drug use to see whether students using other substances
tended to also use cocaine. Cocaine use was significantly related to all other substance use (p’s < .001,
except for inhalant use, p = .01). This suggests that students who use other drugs have a higher
likelihood of using cocaine compared to those students who do not use these other drugs. However, we
could not examine polysubstance abuse as this is defined as using multiple drugs simultaneously or in
one sitting, and the CTCS did not define drug use in this manner. These findings may also indicate that
the use of drugs such as alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana are “gateway drugs”; research has found that
students who use more illicit drugs often use these gateway drugs first. (Ruth Gassman, executive
director of the IPRC)
21
Table 1.9
Percentage of East Chicago Students (7th-12th Grade) Reporting Lifetime (at Least Once) (CTCS, 2007)
Lifetime
th
Smokeless
Cigarettes
Alcohol
Marijuana
Inhalants
Cocaine
Heroin
LSD
Ecstasy
Meth
Xanax
Ritalin
7
grad
e
3.93
%
28.0
1%
42.9
8%
14.1
6%
13.0
4%
1.13
%
0.57
%
0.29
%
1.49
%
0.29
%
0.89
%
0.88
%
95%
Confidence
Interval
1.91 - 5.95%
23.17 - 32.85%
37.78 - 48.18%
10.44 - 17.88%
9.48 - 16.60%
0.03 - 2.24%
0.00 - 1.36%
0.00 - 0.86%
0.19 - 2.78%
0.00 - 0.86%
0.00 - 1.89%
0.00 - 1.88%
th
8
grade
5.88
%
32.31
%
55.26
%
30.71
%
11.94
%
1.85
%
0.00
%
1.13
%
2.27
%
0.76
%
2.28
%
2.63
%
95%
Confidence
Interval
3.08 - 8.68%
26.61 - 38.00%
50.29 - 62.02%
25.02 - 36.39%
8.05 - 15.83%
0.24 - 3.45%
0.00 - 0.00%
0.00 - 2.41%
0.47 - 4.07%
0.00 - 1.81%
0.47 - 4.09%
0.70 - 4.56%
th
9
grade
3.06
%
28.57
%
56.14
%
20.00
%
4.91
%
2.64
%
1.33
%
1.79
%
2.23
%
0.45
%
2.24
%
0.90
%
95%
Confidence
Interval
0.82 - 5.29%
22.64 - 34.50%
49.69 - 62.60%
14.70 - 25.30%
2.07 - 7.75%
0.55 - 4.73%
0.00 - 2.82%
0.05 - 3.54%
0.29 - 4.17%
0.00 - 1.33%
0.29 - 4.19%
0.00 - 2.14%
22
10th
grade
6.45
%
36.57
%
67.57
%
33.90
%
6.42
%
4.28
%
1.60
%
2.15
%
4.28
%
1.08
%
1.63
%
0.54
%
95%
Confidence
Interval
2.91 - 9.99%
29.42 - 43.73%
60.80 - 74.33%
26.90 - 40.89%
2.90 - 9.94%
1.37 - 7.19%
0.00 - 3.41%
0.06 - 4.24%
1.37 - 7.19%
0.00 - 2.58%
0.00 - 3.47%
0.00 - 1.61%
11th
grade
0.79
%
34.96
%
71.88
%
38.52
%
5.47
%
3.94
%
0.00
%
0.00
%
3.13
%
0.78
%
4.72
%
2.34
%
95%
Confidence
Interval
0.00 - 2.33%
26.50 - 43.42%
64.06 - 79.69%
29.85 - 47.20%
1.51 - 9.42%
0.54 - 7.33%
0.00 - 0.00%
0.00 - 0.00%
0.10 - 6.15%
0.00 - 2.31%
1.02 - 8.43%
0.00 - 4.97%
12th
grade
5.88
%
49.47
%
74.26
%
51.04
%
2.91
%
4.90
%
0.98
%
2.86
%
4.90
%
1.92
%
3.96
%
0.96
%
95%
Confidence
Interval
1.29 - 10.47%
39.37 59.58%
65.69 82.83%
40.99 61.09%
0.00 - 6.18%
0.69 - 9.11%
0.00 - 2.90%
0.00 - 6.06%
0.69 - 9.11%
0.00 - 4.58%
0.14 - 7.78%
0.00 - 2.85%
Table 1.10
Current (Past Month) Drug Use, by Grade (CTCS, 2007)
Current
th
Smokeless
Cigarettes
Alcohol
Marijuana
Inhalants
Cocaine
Heroin
LSD
Ecstasy
Meth
Xanax
Ritalin
7
grad
e
1.69
%
6.18
%
10.3
2%
7.34
%
4.89
%
0.28
%
0.00
%
0.00
%
0.29
%
0.29
%
0.29
%
0.29
%
95%
Confidence
Interval
0.35 - 3.02%
3.67 - 8.68%
7.08 - 13.57%
4.62 - 10.07%
2.62 - 7.15%
0.00 - 0.84%
0.00 - 0.00%
0.00 - 0.00%
0.00 - 0.87%
0.00 - 0.87%
0.00 - 0.87%
0.00 - 0.87%
th
8
grade
3.68
%
10.87
%
27.91
%
18.45
%
5.56
%
1.10
%
0.00
%
0.38
%
1.14
%
0.76
%
0.76
%
1.52
%
95%
Confidence
Interval
1.44 - 5.92%
7.19 - 14.55%
22.42 - 33.39%
13.82 - 23.08%
2.82 - 8.29%
0.00 - 2.35%
0.00 - 0.00%
0.00 - 1.13%
0.00 - 2.43%
0.00 - 1.82%
0.00 - 1.81%
0.04 - 3.00%
th
9
grade
2.18
%
10.26
%
22.48
%
9.78
%
2.23
%
1.33
%
0.44
%
0.90
%
0.90
%
0.45
%
0.90
%
0.90
%
95%
Confidence
Interval
0.29 - 4.08%
6.36 - 14.15%
16.92 - 28.03%
5.89 - 13.67%
0.29 - 4.17%
0.00 - 2.82%
0.00 - 1.31%
0.00 - 2.14%
0.00 - 2.16%
0.00 - 1.33%
0.00 - 2.14%
0.00 - 2.14%
23
10th
grade
2.67
%
10.11
%
29.44
%
15.59
%
3.78
%
2.15
%
1.62
%
1.08
%
1.08
%
1.07
%
1.09
%
0.55
%
95%
Confidence
Interval
0.36 - 4.99%
5.79 - 14.43%
22.77 - 36.12%
10.36 - 20.82%
1.03 - 6.54%
0.06 - 4.24%
0.00 - 3.45%
0.00 - 2.56%
0.00 - 2.58%
0.00 - 2.55%
0.00 - 2.59%
0.00 - 1.62%
11th
grade
0.78
%
11.36
%
35.20
%
16.67
%
1.57
%
2.36
%
0.00
%
0.00
%
0.78
%
0.78
%
2.34
%
0.00
%
95%
Confidence
Interval
0.00 - 2.29%
5.93 - 16.80%
26.79 - 43.61%
10.13 - 23.20%
0.00 - 3.75%
0.00 - 5.01%
0.00 - 0.00%
0.00 - 0.00%
0.00 - 2.31%
0.00 - 2.31%
0.00 - 4.97%
0.00 - 0.00%
12th
grade
0.99
%
19.23
%
41.05
%
26.00
%
0.98
%
1.96
%
0.98
%
0.99
%
2.91
%
0.98
%
2.02
%
0.97
%
95%
Confidence
Interval
0.00 - 2.93%
11.62 26.84%
31.11 51.00%
17.36 34.64%
0.00 - 2.90%
0.00 - 4.66%
0.00 - 2.90%
0.00 - 2.93%
0.00 - 6.18%
0.00 - 2.90%
0.00 - 4.81%
0.00 - 2.87%
CONSEQUENCES
Cocaine and Antisocial/Academic Outcomes
It should be noted that no true cause and effect statements can be made about cocaine use and its
consequences since we used concurrent (versus longitudinal) data. Nonetheless, there were statistically
significant relations among cocaine use and antisocial behaviors for students. Students who used
cocaine at any point in their lifetime tended to also report in engaging in antisocial behaviors such as:
being in a gang, being suspended from school, carrying a handgun, selling illegal drugs, stealing a car or
other vehicle, being arrested, attacking someone in order to hurt them, being drunk or high at school,
and taking a handgun to school (p’s < .001). Additionally, cocaine use was associated negative school
outcomes. Greater lifetime cocaine use was related to lower grades, skipping school, and less academic
effort.
Cocaine and Crime
Examining NACJD data, cocaine Possession Arrest Rates (arrests per 100,000 people) for juveniles and
adults have dropped in Lake County since 1996. For juveniles, the rate in 1996 was 118.08 compared to
18.17 in 2005. For Lake County Adults, the possession rates dropped from 185.07 (1996) to 81.42
(2005). In 2005, possession rates in Indiana were somewhat higher for adults (102.40), and similar for
juveniles (19.88). Cocaine Sale Arrest Rates for juveniles and adults have conversely risen in Lake County
since 1996. For juveniles, the rate in 1996 was 1.65, compared to 42.94 in 2005. Sales rates have also
increased among Lake County adults, from 27.21 (1996) to 78.38 (2005). In 2005, possession rates in
Indiana were lower for both adults (53.09) and juveniles (12.26) (See Figure below).
Figure 1.0 Lake County Cocaine Arrest Rates for Juveniles and Adults
225
Juvenile Possession
200
Juvenile Sales
175
Adult Possession
150
Adult Sales
125
100
75
50
25
24
20
05
20
04
20
03
20
02
20
01
20
00
19
99
19
98
19
97
19
96
0
Cocaine and Dependence
TEDS data for Lake County and the State are reported here. Specifically, the percentage of
unique treatment cases admitted for primary cocaine abuse treatment was examined. The overall
percentage of cocaine treatment cases for Lake County was 20.04%. This is higher than the same
statistic for the state of Indiana (13.06%). More Lake County women (23.83%) than men (18.42%) were
treated primarily for cocaine substance abuse. For Indiana, women were again higher than men, but
these percentages were generally lower (17.55% vs. 10.89%). Examining age groups, the 35-44 age
group had the highest of all other age groups in Lake County (30.77%) and Indiana (20.41%). However,
Lake County generally had higher percentage of unique cocaine treatment cases in all age groups,
particularly the age group under examination for this SPF-SIG. In Lake County, 12.89% of all cases
between 18-24 were treated for cocaine, compared to just 5.70% for the state of Indiana in this same
age group. Nearly all races were treated equally for cocaine use in Lake County (between 17.74% 20.86%), except for Pacific Islanders/Hawaiians (no cases reported). This is in contrast to the state data
in which 30.63% of cases for Blacks were for cocaine, versus 9.33% for Whites. Regarding ethnicity,
numbers were similar in that about 20% of Hispanics, as well as non-Hispanics, were treated primarily
for cocaine. This number was about 13% for both groups at the state level.
CONCLUSION
KEY FINDINGS
East Chicago high school students appear to use cocaine more often than any other illicit drug.
Differences among gender, race/ethnicity, and grade groups were found. Notably, male students were
found to use cocaine more often than females, Hispanic use was higher than Black use (a group who
reported no use), and the students in the youngest grade examined (7th grade) reported less cocaine use
than students in older grades (i.e., 10th – 12th grades). These findings for cocaine use were generally
found for other substances, with some exceptions (e.g., inhalant use was higher for 7th and 8th graders
compared to students in high school grades). Students who reported they used cocaine tended to also
report that they used other substances, engaged in antisocial behaviors, and had troubles in school.
RISK FACTORS
Community Factors
East Chicago is plagued by high unemployment rates, high crime rates, neighborhood disorganization,
high teen alcohol use, a high number of single parent homes, criminal gangs, an overrepresentation of
bars and liquor stores, and low academic achievement. East Chicago Schools are currently on probation,
expulsion rates are high, and the graduation level is 55% compared to the State level of 76%. Poverty
levels were high with over 93% free text books and lunches. (Department of Education, 2007,
www.doe.in.gov) (See Graphs/Tables 1-9, GIS Census Maps)
East Chicago residents may be lacking trust in their local leaders and county politicians as a result of 42
indictments and convictions for corruption. Additionally, the East Chicago casino riverboat was found to
contribute to social costs such as: increased crime, bankruptcy, and divorce.
25
Communities That Care Survey
Preliminary analyses of the CTCS data suggested that several personality factors may predispose
someone to cocaine use. Students who reported using cocaine use were also more rebellious,
depressed, and sensation seeking than those who did not report cocaine use. Students who knew others
that used drugs (e.g., peers, siblings, older adults) or whose parents embraced more positive attitudes
towards drugs also reported greater cocaine use. Additionally, adolescents who used alcohol and drugs,
and believed that using alcohol and drugs made them appear “cool” to peers, also reported more
cocaine use. However, the perceived risks associated with using drugs and community enforcement
against drug use was not at all related to cocaine use.
It may also be important to examine groups separately. For example, females who had more
opportunities for positive involvement in their families and schools reported less drug use. However,
this relation was not significant for males. Moreover, depression was strongly related to greater cocaine
use for females, but again this relation was not significant for males. Finally, there was a strong relation
among peer and family use and cocaine use for males, but these relations were typically not significant
for females.
Hispanic’s greater use of cocaine may be related to cultural factors, such as acculturative status. Among
Hispanics only, reported use of Spanish in the home (an indicator of how much a family or individual has
adopted mainstream cultural values and behaviors) was related to more cocaine use.
Focus Group Conclusions
The qualitative data gathered by conducting focus groups was important to better understanding the
issues that the City of East Chicago faces as it relates to drugs. Golden Recognition Inc. was hired to
conduct focus groups among local key informants (See Appendix A).
Key findings according to Golden Recognition revolved around three themes: parental involvement,
housing disconnect, and a failing school system. Parents were viewed by participants as too young,
uninvolved, users themselves, single, unemployed and not caring. The housing disconnect was viewed
as a possessing a high concentration of section 8 housing, missing landlords, allowance of property
managers, and a lack of a sense of community. East Chicago’s School System was viewed as having an
excessively high suspension rate which was also viewed as an easy way out, education perceived as
unimportant by students, a low PTA involvement, a school board that is filled with non stake holders
(appointed), lack of drug education infused into the school curriculum, and a lack of information and
education for those transitioning into adulthood from high school.
Focus Group recommendations include: disseminating programs and resources available in the
community, encouraging more local church leader involvement, utilizing local advertisements to show
the negative consequences of using cocaine, using family programs to gain collaboration between
children, parents, and law enforcement to nurture positive influence, and including more prevention
education of cocaine among 10-18 year olds.
26
GIS Mapping
GIS mapping was conducted to address issues raised by the focus groups and the LAC members, who
believed that gang activity occurred mainly around Section 8 Housing. Findings indicate that gang
activity and drug activity were found in all areas of East Chicago, including drug activity within close
proximity to schools. GIS mapping was also included to provide a visual tool to complement the
statistical information presented in this report. (See Maps 1-9)
27
MAP 1
28
MAP 2
29
MAP 3
30
MAP 4
31
MAP 5
32
MAP 6
33
MAP 7
34
MAP 8
35
MAP 9
36
Appendix: A
Golden Recognition, Inc. MBE/WBE
Ann Vasquez
Geminus Prevention Services
SPF/SIG
8400 Louisiana Street
Merrillville, IN 46410
RE: SPF/SIG Focus Session
Dear Ms. Vasquez,
Enclosed is the final report including the appropriate attachments for the focus meetings. We
have incorporated considerable data which should prove helpful in planning and implementation
of a successful program.
Sincerely,
Debra Hammonds
President/CEO
enclosures
www.goldrec.com
[email protected]
5201 Broadway, Ste 201
Gary, Indiana 46410
(219) 981-0661
(219) 981-0662
_____________________________________
SPF/SIG Focus Sessions
East Chicago Substance Abuse Coalition
37
SPF/SIG
East Chicago Substance Abuse Coalition
(ECSAC)
2007-2008 Focus Group Report
Focus Moderators and Reviewers Debra Hammonds, Indiana University NW
George Assibey-Mensah, IUN
Emmitt F. Green, West Point, NY
Contents
Executive Summary…………………………………………………………Section One
Background…………………………………………………………………. Section Two
Focus Group Data Collection ………………….……………………………Section Three
-Focus Session #1
-Focus Session #2
-Focus Session #3
-Focus Session #4
Key Interest and Findings……………………………………………………. Section Four
Recommendations…………………………………………………………….. Section Five
Conclusion…………………………………………………………………… Section Six
Appendix…………………………………………………………………….. Section Seven
-SPF/SIG and East Chicago Substance Abuse Coalition Overview
-Focus Session Questions
38
Executive Summary
To build capacity is to receive, transmit and develop volume. The East Chicago Substance Abuse
Coalition focuses on the SPF/SIG areas of: Assessment, Capacity, Planning, Implementing,
Evaluating, Cultural Competence and Sustainability relative to the Strategic Prevention
Framework.
Four focus groups were conducted to examine the views and environmental perceptions of
persons from diverse backgrounds throughout the East Chicago communities. Several
community leaders, politicians, law enforcement representatives, medical professionals, youth
service providers, parents/grandparents, court officials and educators had the opportunity to offer
their opinions and views on the perceived cocaine problem and the initiatives of East Chicago
Substance Abuse Coalition. Furthermore, the focus groups served as an opportunity to acquire
insight and information on the plan of the Strategic Prevention Framework State Incentive Grant
(SPFSIG).
Strategic Prevention Framework State Incentive Grant
This focus summary report contains the findings from four focus sessions that were conducted in
December 2007. The report highlights the responses to the following questions:
1. Can you identify who in this community uses cocaine?
2. What population, race, or gender uses cocaine?
3. What is the cause of the problem(s)?
4. What program(s) can we implement to help respond to the population in your
community?
5. How would we implement those program(s)?
6. Are there any policies changes that the community needs to consider?
In Closing, this report addresses and highlights some observations of the community to address
and assist in preparing a Strategic Prevention Framework plan for the SPF/SIG East Chicago
Substance Abuse Coalition as they work toward putting together prevention actions for cocaine
use in East Chicago. Along with Geminus Prevention Services (SPF/SIG Program), several key
persons were instrumental in the planning, performing as moderator and composition of the
overall research and development of the focus project. Key findings and recommendations are
included for the benefit of possible future actions to be carried out as they relate to the plan and
training initiatives of the East Chicago Substance Abuse Coalition (ECSAC).
39
Background
Lake County was one of twelve (12) counties to receive the Strategic Prevention Framework
State Incentive Grant and the only county to receive two grants. Geminus will be the
administrative body for East Chicago SPFSIG which focuses on the use and abuse of cocaine.
Lake County Drug Free Alliance will be the administrative body for the grant that focuses on use
and abuse of alcohol.
The allocation will be 11.7 million dollars over four (4) years at 165 thousand dollars for each of
the twelve counties funded by SAMPSA.
The Governors Advisory Council (GAC) along with the State Epidemiology Outcome
Workgroup (SEOW) focused on prevention and identified the six most challenging areas of
concern; alcohol, tobacco, cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine and prescription drugs.
A Strategic Prevention Framework Plan was submitted and approved with three (3) areas of
concentration narrowed from the six:
• Alcohol
• Cocaine
• Meth
On the local level, Lake County will have to duplicate the actions of the state by forming a Local
Advisory Council (LAC) and put together a Strategic Prevention Framework Plan. The plan will
incorporate a two phase approach. Data collection will include the qualitative, focus group
sessions and the statistics collected by the Local Epidemiology Outcome Workgroup (LEOW)
reports. This data will ultimately lead to identifying community needs and assist in the various
types of program selection and implementation.
The data collection will indicate findings such as:
• Where is the problem?
• What population is using?
• What Race is using?
• What Age is using?
• Where does the prevention work need to be done? i.e., elementary, high school, college
level, house wives, etc…
• What factors contribute to this population who are using?
• How the findings fit the logic model?
• How are the programs going to be implemented, measured and evaluated?
• What types of programs are needed to address the cause of the problem?
40
Focus Group Data Collection
Four sessions were held in an effort to effectively determine the community‟s concerns.
Demographics include: populations, race, gender causes program(s), solutions, implementation,
and policy changes. On the following pages are the translations of each focus session.
SPF- SIG/ECSAC
Focus Group1 Questions
Monday, December 10, 2007
5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
1. Can you identify who in this community uses cocaine?
- All over
- All ages
- Most apartments
- Public housing
- You can always tell when a spot gets hot
- 18- 25 years
- They walk around a lot
- Latinos
- African American
- Caucasians
- We have seen a lot of white people
- Cheaper living
- Availabilities
- No jobs
- Why work at Mc Donald and make $5.25 an hour when I can make $500.00
an hour
- Fast way
- Education
- People that don‟t have any money
- No jobs
- Can‟t stay clean for jobs
- Can‟t pass drug test
41
- Kids getting kicked out of school
- Parents not involved with there child
community?
- Preventive programs
- Awareness
- Educational programs
- Younger kids need educational programs
- Help them get off of drugs
- Rehab program
- Reality program
- Parent involvement
- Prevention starting at home
- Dealing with prescription medicine
- Scare tactic
- Some kind of mentors
- Police involvement at home
- Scared straight
- More male mentoring
- Something to challenge their creative side
- Rewarding
- Get a home where women that are in their 50‟s are unable to receive social security for
teaching and serving as a mother to the younger girls.
These younger girls who are 17-25 yrs old can go and live and learn parenting skills,
money smart skills, finish their high school education or some college course so they can
be productive citizens
5. How would you we implement those program(s)?
- Stand up against the negative action as a parent
- Talk to the children (communication)
- Use law enforcement (COP)
- Build trust
- Listen to what they need or want
6. Are there any policy changes that the community needs to consider?
- If school drop out, they can‟t get public housing
- If dropped out, can‟t get their license
- Court referring people to the programs
- Schools referring to the programs
- Change policy for housing, stricter rental rules
42
- Based on offense, youngsters will have to depend on the court to pick going to
jail or to the program
SPF- SIG/ECSAC
Focus Group 2 Questions,
Monday, December 10, 2007
6:15p.m. – 7:15p.m.
Healthy East Chicago
1. Can you identify who in this community, uses cocaine?
- I don‟t think East Chicago has a drug use problem
- Most of our arrests are drug dealers
- I think its people coming in to purchase
- Lower income people
- Public housing activity
- Gas station selling loose cigarettes
- Lots of our arrests are from out of town
- African American
- Mexican American
- Latinos
- More male
- Unemployment
- Parent guiding
- Education
- Single family home
- Communities outside of East Chicago that have a big cocaine problem
- East Chicago is getting labeled as the problem because other communities
don‟t want to recognize the problem
- Parents not being involved or aware
community?
- Education programs
- Something like the D.A.R.E program for younger ages
so they know the consequences of their actions
- Incentive program
43
- Get the universities involved
- Something like 21st Century where they sign a waiver
- Peer training
- Peer mentoring
- 21st century peer tutor
- Faith based program
- Give something in return
- If in school, give them a lap top
- Offer some type of incentive to capture the 18-25 yrs olds
on helping them make decisions
- On the school campus, teach them about the dangers of cocaine
- Plan a trip
- Big brother, big sister program where they get support
and they‟re not scared and feel alone when they get to college
- If some one is selling out of a rented house, for the home owner
to get penalized
- Rental ordinances
- Can we look at policies for users in connection to Bernard Carter‟s office?
- Code enforcement policy
- Loitering policy
44
SPF- SIG/ECSAC
Focus Group 3 Questions
Thursday, December 13, 2007
5:00p.m. – 6:00p.m
- Drug activities right by my house
- Single family dwellings
- Rental housing
- We see it every where in East Chicago
- Lower income
- In the alleys
- No specific demographic group
- People coming from outside East Chicago coming in to buy the drugs
- Chicago knocking down all the public housing, that‟s why they‟re coming to
East Chicago
- Its everything coming in
- (stakeholders) School Board – revisit the selection process
- No ownership
- Absent parents
- Community not coming together
- School system failing
- Parents not caring
- New people coming into the city
- Kids with no where to go
- Kids looking for expectations
- Kids looking for gratification
- Kids looking for money
- Single mothers
- Pregnant at a young age
- Didn‟t know what to do
- Risk for the service providers
45
community?
- Support for parents
- Community belongs to the people
- Community training for the kid
- Hands on program
- Rehab
- Parenting class
- How to care for your child
- Teach the parents the appropriate time to be in the house
- Classes to build self-esteem
- Tools to teach them how to survive
- Short term technical courses
- Tri-City Mental Health Program to provide service in a non-traditional setting
- Reach them in a none traditional setting
- Incentives
- When a parent comes in whose cocaine addicted to force them to the program
before they get their child back
- Work with the city departments
- The schools are important to get them young
- After School
- Go back to the basics – the church was the answer
- Rental Policies
- Property owners
- Property with illegal activities should result in the property owners receiving
fines
- Ordinances enforces
46
SPF- SIG/ECSAC
Focus Group 4 Question
Thursday , December 13, 2007
6:15p.m.-7:15p.m.
- Any age group
- Middle school to middle age 40-50
- You can‟t tell if their addicted to cocaine
- White collar workers
- You can look around the corner and see that their addicted to something
- You can drive around to see it
- Different races
- Young ages are experimenting with cocaine
- White collar workers
- Lots of poverty places
- People that don‟t work
- I think it starts some where at an early age and then graduates to 18-25 year
Olds
- Lack of better things to do
- We haven‟t been able to reach the teenagers
- Centers being too small
- Centers don‟t house enough programs
- No jobs
- Lots of partying in college
- Nothing to do
- Nothing to look forward to
- You have to go shop out-side the city
- Lack of transportation
- The parks have no programs for those ages of 18-25
- Facilities not big enough
- Recreational activities don‟t draw the youth
- No family involvement
- People rely too much on the communities
- Starts at home
47
- Reinforcement
- Kids Exposure to drug use
- Parents too young
- Young ages get pregnant and don‟t know what to do
- More help from the communities
- Department of recreation offers little support
- We used to have support from the communities
- Families don‟t take their children to the programs
- Faith based
- No funding
- Too much drop outs
- Parents strung out
- No family structure
community?
- Transition from out of high school
- Career development
- A program to encourage kids that aren‟t in school to return
- Educate the user on what their doing to themselves
- Catch the kids that get kicked out of school
- Program in place so the kids, if they get kicked out, can be forced to go to the
program
- Program to build their skills to boost self esteem
- Reach out to the ones that are 17 or about to turn 18 and then pass the word on
- Help them with their education
- Teaching them how to dress proper for the interview
- Getting them interviews
- Getting someone to escort them to their interviews so they know what
to fix
- It should be like an alternative school and implement it for those who do get
kicked out of school where they have to do so many hours
of school and then after that so many hours of community service
- Some treatment to get them off drugs so they can get a job
- Medicaid for young males
- Motivation programs
- Parent motivation so they can be involved in the program with their child
- Program to teach the whole family
- Responding through the communities P.T.A door to door
- Reward
- Some type of incentive
48
- Force them to go to the program
- Career counselors
- Remove the fear of reporting
- Medical facilities need to work with the community
- School acceptance, change the policy of just kicking them out
- Change how the community programs provide assistance, build in repayment
Key Interest and Findings Overview of Focus Groups
The individuals responsible for serving as moderators of the focus groups surveyed all the
responses and views presented during the sessions. There were several key findings. The
facilitator noticed that the responses indicated that not very many of the participants were
familiar with the mission and activities of the coalition and most had never heard of such a
coalition or the SPF/SIG Grant. This was not surprising, since SPF/SIG is a new initiative. A
second observation indicated that most of the participants viewed cocaine as the primary type of
drug usage in the community. They did however; question the form of cocaine and felt crack
cocaine was the form of choice for users in their community.
Key findings
In every session there was conversation relative the findings of the three concentrated areas of
the state‟s main initiatives. The participants agreed that the most critical need for intervention
and or prevention in their community focuses on the following:
• Parental involvement was perceived to be absent. This was identified as the most outstanding
comment in every session. Several reason were discussed in this area; i.e.
o Parents are too young
o Parents don‟t know or understand parenting
o Parents are users
o Single parents
o Parents acceptance of child‟s role in connection to reaping the benefits of selling
o Parents not caring – Self esteem
o High rate of unemployment among parents
• Housing disconnect – In the problem areas of the community the mixed housing environment
(public housing, renters and homeowners) suggest that the problems are
o No longer a sense of community
49
o Previous owners of homes moving out and allowing a “property manager”
o Section 8 acceptance too concentrated in a given block
o Missing landlords
o Renter allowing the sale and distribution of drugs from the unit
• School System made the list of highly expressed concerns, most participants felt:
o Suspension rate was too high and the easy way out
o Education perceived as unimportant to secure employment
o PTA involvement too low
o School Board was not perceived as stakeholders
o Informing the age group of the transition from high school to college, to prevent
the excessive partying and exploration of drugs
o Drug education not infused in the school curriculum
Recommendations for Programming and Implementation
Based on the Key Findings to the problems expressed by the focus participants, the
recommendations to provide prevention and intervention for cocaine use are as follows:
• Gain „critical mass‟ in the education and prevention of cocaine use among key targeted groups
(children between the ages of 10-18). Possible avenues within the East Chicago community
would include the churches, schools, community out-reach centers and local events (festivals,
parades, parks, sports events, other).
• Support programs designed to get children more involved in making the „right choice‟.
Use family programs to gain collaboration between children, parents and law enforcement to
nurture a positive influence
• Enforce the drug free rules in schools and other public places with clear policies for children
and adults in schools and the workplace. For children, ensure violators are involved in mandatory
community events to discourage drug use as appropriate.
• Better inform the community on the actions being taken to curb abuse by:
Providing a list of contacts within the community of „local experts‟ and the
programs/resources available to assist in prevention and treatment
o Get local leaders (including church & other public officials) more involved in
supporting the activities of SPF/SIG East Chicago Substance Abuse Coalition. Publish a
list of the strongest supporters with roles of how they can
assist & track progress often!
o Use the traditional sources of advertisements to show the negative consequences
50
of using cocaine.… use billboards, flyers and advertisement similar to the ones
being used to build awareness of molesters, drug dealers and murderers to elicit
conversation between parents and children and to indicate to users and
supporters of users/sellers that we want our community back!
o For children, a pledge system to prevent them from becoming users is recommended.
Additionally, some type of enforcement must be implemented for violators to include
after school sessions or lunch-hour detention.
• Positive reinforcement (rewards/incentives) was also viewed as essential. Suggestions include
„drug free‟ outings for those willing to get involved.
Conclusion
Some insightful findings were discovered during the focus sessions that may assist the East
Chicago Substance Abuse Coalition in establishing a plan to address prevention and intervention
initiatives dealing with the cocaine problem in the community. Key findings and the
recommendations from the participants indicate that most participants were ready, willing and
able to work in their respective fields to join in the fight against the root causes of cocaine use
and abuse.
51
References
Carlson, Joe (September 30, 2007). Operation Restore Public
Integrity. Times Newspaper. Retrieved from
http://www.nwi.com/articles/2007
Chicago Housing Plan Summary. The CHA’s Plan for Transformation. Retrieved February
5, 2008 from http://www.thecha.org/transformplan/plan_summary.html
City-Data. (2007). East Chicago, Indiana. Retrieved from
http://www.city-data.com/city/East-Chicago-Indiana.html
Department of Education. Retrieved from
http://www.doe.state.in.us/
Drug Enforcement Administration. Retrieved from
http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/pubs/states/indiana.html
Lakota Group (July 19, 2007). East Chicago, Indiana Comprehensive
Plan. Hard Copy printed from www.thelakotagroup.com
McDermott, Mayor Thomas. Go Hammond.com.20 Questions. Retrieved
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East Chicago - Indiana University Public Policy Institute

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