Youth

This study explores the complex relationship between addiction and well-being among youth by examining social, behavioral, and economic factors. It aims to identify the key determinants influencing addiction and their impact on young individuals’ physical, mental, and social well-being. Utilizing a dataset including variables such as social isolation, academic decline, financial issues, and mental and physical health problems, the study applies correlation analysis and hierarchical clustering techniques to uncover significant patterns. The results reveal that behaviors like experimentation (ρ = 0.34), social isolation (ρ = 0.28), and financial stress (ρ = 0.22) are strongly associated with addiction. These findings suggest that early risk-taking behaviors, particularly experimentation, play a critical role in the development of addiction and highlight the importance of early intervention. Social and economic stressors are also key contributors, emphasizing the need for targeted prevention strategies. The study concludes that addiction among youth is a multidimensional issue requiring holistic responses, including enhanced social support, economic assistance, and improved access to healthcare. These insights can inform effective policies and interventions aimed at reducing addiction rates and promoting well-being in young populations.

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated labor market inequalities, disproportionately impacting workers based on age, gender, and sector. In Turkey, the pandemic-induced economic crisis resulted in a substantial increase in unemployment, with youth (ages 15–24) encountering the most significant challenges. Young women, in particular, experienced more severe outcomes, increasing their vulnerability in the labor market. This study examined the factors contributing to the intensified challenges faced by young women during the pandemic. Using official data from the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat), comparative analyses were conducted on labor market indicators by age and gender, focusing on unemployment rates, informal employment, and sectoral distribution. This study considers both narrow and broad definitions of unemployment, including underemployment and the potential labor force. The findings indicate that young women suffered the most severe employment losses, exacerbated by their concentration in low-wage, precarious jobs and informal work, with gendered occupational segregation further intensifying these disparities.

Risk assessment instruments are widely used in U.S. juvenile justice systems to predict recidivism. However, concerns persist that these tools may embed systemic inequities by relying on indicators shaped by racialized disadvantage and community-level deprivation. This study examines whether race/ethnicity, detention and placement histories, and neighborhood disadvantage predict juvenile recidivism, and whether these effects vary across contexts. Using public data from the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice and a longitudinal cohort of 2877 youth (11,508 assessments, 2015–2018), generalized estimating equations modeled rearrest within 365 days. Detention history significantly predicted rearrest; placement history showed limited effects. Neighborhood disadvantage did not predict rearrest directly but significantly amplified the effect of prior detention. Race and SDI interactions revealed divergent patterns across groups. These findings underscore the need to contextualize risk assessments within structural inequities and to reform predictive tools to support equity-centered, rehabilitative decision-making.