YOUTH DELINQUENCY ON THE RISE: POLL

Drug Abuse, Drinking, Gambling, Brawling Increase among Youths

Alcohol, truancy, pornography, gambling and brawling are becoming more
prevelant among the country's youth, according to results yesterday from a
large-scale survey by Assumption University.

The survey questioned 14,783 young people in 29 provinces between June 1
and Saturday. Respondents were between 11 and 26 years old and 42.7 per
cent were students.

The survey found that 42.2 per cent of youths drank alcohol, up from 37.1
per cent last year. Student truancy had also risen, from 26.7 per cent last
year to 28.4 per cent.

More youths - 38.1 per cent - had viewed pornographic materials, compared
with last year's 25.5 per cent.

Respondents who admitted that they gambling jumped to 32.6 per cent from
22.1 per cent in 2003, while 26.9 per cent of respondents said they had
engaged in brawling, up from 17.4 per cent last year.

The poll also showed that most youths still spent their free time with
their families, took part in religious activities or performed community
service. However, participation in these activities was less than last year.

The percentage of youths who spent time with their families and relatives
fell from 96.2 per cent in 2003 to 84.7 per cent this year.

Participation in religious activities was reported by 79.4 per cent of
respondents this year, down from last year's 85.3 per cent. Similarly,
youths reporting community-service activities totalled 76.9 per cent, down
from 86.2 per cent.

A total of 5.4 per cent of respondents said they had taken illegal drugs at
least once, with methamphetamines and marijuana the drugs of choice.

In the 2003 survey, only 2.76 per cent admitted they had tried illegal
drugs at least once.