| Drugs and alcohol are the most common | | | | than its share of violent acts against young |
| substances abused by teenagers. Alcoholism, | | | | women after a night on the town. An |
| also know as alcohol dependence, has symptoms | | | | examination of recent crime statistics shows |
| such as craving, loss of control, loss of | | | | that New York City is at its safest in recent |
| memory, physical dependence, and increasing | | | | memory. However, the discovery of another |
| tolerance. Approximately, 10 million current | | | | dead student suggests that it is not very |
| drinkers are under the age of 21, about 4 | | | | safe for young women drinking in nightclubs |
| million are binge drinkers; including 2 | | | | and bars late at night.This latest victim of |
| million who are heavy drinkers all of them | | | | New York City night life is Jennifer Moore, |
| are between the ages of 16-21 years old.One | | | | 18-year old, of Harrington Park, New Jersey. |
| in three college students now drinks solely | | | | Jennifer Moore was murdered just five months |
| to get drunk. About 30% of women in college | | | | after a female graduate student went missing |
| reported poor grades with the increased use | | | | after leaving a popular bar in SoHo. The |
| of alcohol and drugs, and 60% of college | | | | student, Imette St. Guillen 24, had been |
| women diagnosed with a sexually transmitted | | | | drinking alone, in a bar called the Falls, |
| disease contacted while they were drunk.The | | | | until closing time. Her naked body was |
| absence of ongoing oversight by parents and | | | | discovered the next day wrapped in a quilt in |
| caretakers offers college students the | | | | a swampy area near Belt Parkway in Brooklyn |
| freedom to makes choices, develop | | | | New York. Darryl Littlejohn 41, a bouncer |
| personality, and to engage in social | | | | employed at the Falls a career criminal, had |
| experiment. These are all natural and | | | | been charged with the murder. Draymond |
| necessary path to adulthood. However, the | | | | Coleman, 34, another career criminal, and a |
| road to adulthood also create an environment | | | | pimp is accused of beating and strangling |
| that is susceptible to crime and | | | | Jennifer Moore to death inside a Weekhawken |
| victimization. Which may include opportunity | | | | hotel. Her body was found in a trash bin in a |
| for drug and alcohol abuse, sexual assault, | | | | parking lot, in a squalid area in New Jersey |
| and hate crimes all common on today's college | | | | across the Hudson River, West New |
| campuses and the surrounding | | | | York.Further research and we find other cases |
| communities.Statistics that support the | | | | of similar circumstances involving alcohol |
| wide-spread use and abuse of alcohol by | | | | and the murder of young women. Last October, |
| teenagers and college students are readily | | | | Tabitha Perez, a 24 year old saleswoman from |
| available. This is also true for | | | | the Bronx, was shot and killed outside the |
| alcohol-related crimes and anti-social | | | | Viva a bar in upper Manhattan. In April, a |
| behaviors on college campuses across the | | | | 21- year-old woman from Newark, New Jersey, |
| nation. However, statistics on crimes against | | | | Jessica Martinez, was struck by a car while |
| college students, especially women, off | | | | crossing the West Side Highway after leaving |
| campus are not so available. In many large | | | | a nearby nightclub where she had been |
| urban cities bars and nightclubs are | | | | drinking. Another New Jersey college student, |
| increasing at a very rapid pace; and their | | | | Mark Fisher, 19, was killed in 2003 after a |
| economic survival depends successfully | | | | night of partying in Manhattan and Brooklyn, |
| reaching out to the younger patrons, | | | | ending with him alone among strangers, two of |
| including college students. These | | | | whom were convicted in the robbery and |
| establishments act as a magnet for many | | | | murder.According to recent studies, New York |
| college students who find them more attracted | | | | City has been under the spotlight due to a |
| than the traditional college hing-out. The | | | | sharp increase in bars and nightclubs, but a |
| problem is that many of these nightspots are | | | | greater number of homicides occur in other |
| hunting grounds for hard-core criminals, | | | | boroughs. Shootings on Saturday nights |
| pimps and predators seeking susceptible and | | | | outside nightclubs in less affluent |
| available victims, especially those under the | | | | neighborhoods in Queens, Brooklyn, and the |
| influence of alcohol.A recent study showed | | | | Bronx is a regular occurrence.Andrew Karmen, |
| that intoxicated people are more vulnerable | | | | a sociology professor at John Jay College of |
| to violent crime because they exhibit more | | | | Criminal Justice, said that "the drug most |
| risk-taking behaviors. For example, they are | | | | implicated with violence is alcohol." Being |
| more likely to go out alone at night, visit | | | | under the influence of alcohol has been shown |
| places where violence is most likely to | | | | numerous times to raise the risk of being |
| occur, and intoxicated individuals have | | | | either a victim or an offender.Dr. William |
| impaired cognitive problem-solving abilities. | | | | Smith is a psychologist and personal |
| In other words, these individuals will go | | | | consultant with over 30 years experience |
| places and things that they sober peers would | | | | working with groups and individuals. Dr. |
| not do; or they would not do when sober.While | | | | Smith had many successes working, online, |
| doing the research for this article, the | | | | with Adult Children of Alcoholic, Survivors |
| local television news station announced that | | | | of Incest, and other Sexual Trauma, |
| the police had recover the body of the | | | | Relationship Problems...Including all forms |
| college student who was reported missing, | | | | of quality of life issues. If you have a very |
| three days ago after a night of drinking at a | | | | personal issue that you feel professional |
| popular New York City nightclub. In the past | | | | consultation is needed...Dr. |
| few years New York City seems to have more | | | | |