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Wyandotte
County
2007 Community
Risk
and Resource
Assessment
Research
has shown that adolescents in high-risk environments have increased levels
of substance abuse, violence, delinquency, teen pregnancy and school dropout.
In order for a community to build an effective prevention strategy, they
need to have an accurate picture of prevalent risk factors for adolescent
problem behaviors as well as information on what resources are available
to address the risks and enhance protective factors. The Kansas Department
of Social and Rehabilitation Services Office of Prevention collects and
analyzes data at the county level to measure the incidence and prevalence
of these problems.
In order to
prioritize the risks for effective program planning, the level of risk is
measured by indicators which have been proven to have a high correlation
to the risk factor. Data includes information gathered through a survey
of students in grades 6, 8, 10 and 12, and archival data.
Community
Risk Factors
Low
Neighborhood Attachment and Community Disorganization
- 36.7%
of students in 6th, 8th, 10th, and 12th grades report that they would
like to get out of their neighborhood. This compares to a state average
of 26.6%.
- In describing
their neighborhood, 28.6% reported that there is crime and drug selling
where they live; 31.2% report fights, while 31.9% report that they do
not feel safe in their neighborhood. These are significantly higher
than state averages of 10.9%, 14.5%, and 12.9%, respectively.
Laws
and Norms Favorable to Problem Behaviors (See Facts
about Tobacco, Alcohol and Drug Use)
Transitions
and Mobility
- 29% of
students have changed schools in the past year and 73.4% have changed
schools since kindergarten. These are significantly higher than the
state averages of 16.7% and 60.5%.
- The number
of new residents minus the number of residents moved out of the county
has been a negative since 1989. In 2005, the last year in which data
was collected, the total for Wyandotte County was -4.73 per thousand,
an improvement over previous years, but still lower to the state average
of 3.35 per thousand.
Community
Protective Factors
Opportunities
for Conventional Involvement
- 32.2%
of students say there are lots of adults in their neighborhood they
could talk with about something important. This compares to 44.9% of
students in the state.
- When asked
which activities are available in the community, 72.4% say sports teams;
57% say Boys and Girls clubs; 40.7% say scouting; 27.7% say 4-H Clubs;
40.6% say service clubs. A higher percentage of students across the
state report greater access to all activities.
Rewards
for Conventional Involvement
- 23.5%
of students believe that their neighbors notice when they do a good
job and let them know about it, compared to a state average of 29.9%.
- 41.1%
of students think there are people in their neighborhood who are proud
of them when they do something well, compared to a state average of
56.1%.
Family
Risk Factors
Family Management
History
of Antisocial Behavior
- 36.3%
of students say that someone in their family has had a severe alcohol
or drug problem, while the average for the state is 28.4%.
- When asked
whether a sibling has smoked marijuana, 27.1% say yes compared to 18.7%
of students in the state survey.
Family
Protective Factors
Family
Attachment
- 73.2%
of students In Wyandotte County said they could talk to their mom or
dad about a personalproblem, compared to 80.7% in the state.
- 59.6%
of students responded that their parents ask them before making family
decisions concerning them, comapred to 64.7% in the state.
- Only 42.10%
of students say that they feel close to their fathers, share time with
fathers, and share thoughts and feelings with fathers tcompared to the
state average of 54.2%.
Peer/Individual
Risk Factors
Interaction
with Antisocial Peers (Also see Facts
about Tobacco, Alcohol and Drug Use)
- 58.5%
have a best friend who has been suspended from school in the past 12
months, compared to the state average of 28.7%.
- 15.5%
have a best friend who has carried a handgun to school, compared to
the state average of 7.7%.
- 27.6%
have a best friend who has been arested, compared to the state average
of 15.9%.
- 13.7%
have a best friend who has tried to steal a car or motorcycle, compared
to 1the state average of 6.2%.
Perceived
Risks of Tobacco, Alcohol, and Other Drugs Use
- 77.6%
of students believe people risk harming themselves if they try marijuana
once or twice while 83.8% believe people risk harming themselves if
they smoke marijuana regularly. The state averages are higher - at 83.2%
and 91.9%.
Early
Initiation of Problem Behavior
- 8.12 out
of 1000 students drop out of school prior to the 9th grade. (Results
from 7-8 grade students.)
Peer/Individual
Protective Factors
Belief
in Moral Order
- 67.2%
of students say it is all right to beat up another person if that person
started the fight
- 16.3%
say it is okay to take something without asking if you can get away
with it
- Cheating
at school is okay to 34.2% of students.
Social
Skills
- When offered
a drink by a friend, 73.3% of students say they would refuse the offer
- If intentionally
bumped by a teen they don't know, 79.2% say they would keep on walking.
School
Risk Factors
Academic
Failure
- 3.9% of
students report that their grades last year were mostly D's, compared
to 2.9% of students across the state.
- When asked
if their grades are better than most students in their class, 41.3%
say no compared to 37.2% of students across the state.
School
Commitment
- 8.1% of
students think their classes are very dull, compared to 7.8% statewide.
- Only 5.6%
say they never feel that school assignments are meaningful
and important, compared to 6.3% statewide.
- 96.9%
say that what they're learning in school is important
for their later life, compared to 97% statewide.
School
Protective Factors
Opportunities
for Conventional Involvement
- Wyandotte
County students report that 43.1% are asked to work on special projects,
compared to 38.3% statewide. However students report slightly fewer
opportunities to decide things like class activities and rules, to talk
with a teacher one-on-one, to get involved in activities outside of
class, and to be part of class activities than other Kansas students.
Rewards
for Conventional Involvement
- 71.2%
of students say they feel safe at school compared to 85.1% of other
students in Kansas. Both students in Wyandotte County and across the
state have been steadily feeling safer in schools since 1999.
- 47.6%
of students say that teachers praise them when they work hard in school.
Compared to 53.2% of students statewide.
| Data
collected through the "Kansas Communities That Care Youth Survey" administered
by the Southeast Kansas Education Service Center at Greenbush for the
Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services Office of Prevention.
Wyandotte County school districts participating in the 2007 survey include
Turner, Piper, Bonner Springs, and Kansas City. Data was analyzed and
is available through the Regional Prevention Center of Wyandotte County.
They can be contacted at 913-288-7685. |
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Facts
About
Tobacco,
Alcohol
and Drug
Use
Tobacco:
Smokeless Tobacco and Cigarettes
- Average
Age of First Use for cigarettes is 11.7 years. An average of 34.6%
of Wyandotte County 6th, 8th, 10th, and 12th graders has smoked a cigarette
at least once and 11.1% have used smokeless tobacco at least once. In
the past 30 days, 11.4% smoked cigarettes and 4.7% used smokeless tobacco.
Although these percentages are declining, the age of initiation remains
constant.
- Availability
28% of students report that cigarettes are very easy to obtain. This represents
a reduction in perceived availability from the 43.9% who thought it was
very easy in 2002.
- Community
Laws and Norms 93.3% feel that most adults in their neighborhood would
think it is wrong for kids their age to smoke cigarettes.
- Friends
Who Engage in the Problem Behavior 36.1% have at least one friend
who has smoked in the past year.
- Favorable
Attitudes Toward Problem Behavior 93.2% of students think that it
is wrong for someone their age to smoke cigarettes, and 96.9% think that
they will not be seen as cool for smoking a cigarette. This
represents a reduction in favorable attitudes over the past 5 years.
Alcohol
- Average
Age of First Use is 13.4 years, and 13.33 years is average age of
regular use (at least once or twice a month). An average of 53.6% of 6th,
8th, 10th, and 12th grade students report using alcohol at least once;
68.5% of 12th grade students report alcohol use in their lifetime. All
these percentages are slowly decreasing.
- Availability
22.0% of students think it is very easy to obtain alcohol. This is a major
decrease from the 33.4% who thought it was very easy in 2002.
- Community
Laws and Norms 72.5% do not think they would be caught by police for
drinking alcohol. About 5.7% of high school students in Wyandotte County
report that their neighbors would not think it was wrong for students
their age to drink alcohol. 66.2% of students know an adult in the community
who has gotten drunk or high in the past year.
- Friends
Who Engage in the Problem Behavior 52.2% report that at least one
of their friends has tried alcohol in the past year when their parents
didn't know about it.
- Favorable
Attitudes Toward Problem Behavior 90.3% of students feel that it is
wrong for their peers to drink alcohol regularly, while only 5.1% think
they would be seen as cool for drinking alcohol regularly.
Drugs:
Marijuana, LSD, Cocaine and Inhalants
- Average
Age of First Use of marijuana is 12.7 years. An average of 25.4% of
6th, 8th, 10th and 12th grade students have used marijuana; 3.2% have
used meth, 4.8% have used cocaine; 13.4% have used inhalants.
- Availability
49.9% of 12th grade students think it would be very easy to obtain marijuana
and 16.2% believe it would be easy to obtain a drug like cocaine, LSD
or meth.
- Community
Laws and Norms While only 4.2% of students think their neighbors would
approve of them using marijuana, 54.6% report that they know an adult
who used drugs (marijuana, crack, cocaine, or other drugs) in the past
year and 41.8% know an adult who has sold drugs in that time.
- Friends
Who Engage in the Problem Behavior 38.2% of students reported that
at least one of their best friends has smoked marijuana in the past year.
15.7% say that one of their best friends used LSD, cocaine, amphetamines
or other illegal drugs in the past year. 16.1% say that one of their best
friends has sold drugs in the past year. This has decreased from 20.6%
to15.9% in Wyandotte County. Furthermore, it a 10,9% reduction across
the state has been calculated.
- Favorable
Attitudes Toward Problem Behavior
92.3% of students think it is wrong for their peers to use marijuana and
97.9% think it is wrong for their peers to use other illegal drugs. Despite
the large number of students who think it is wrong, 8% of students still
believe they would be seen as cool if they smoked marijuana.
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