Trauma, drugs and violence among juvenile offenders.

Trauma typically occurs when one experiences a situation where life has been threatened or lost. If the trauma is not resolved, negative residual effects may result in alcohol and drug use, involvement in violent activities as well as the development of mental health problems such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Findings from a National Institute on Drug Abuse-funded study examining the link between trauma, drug use and violence among youth are presented.