Youth Suicide in Australia
Suicide, binge drinking and deviant behaviour
This essay will discuss the topics of youth suicide, binge drinking and deviant behaviour amongst Australian teenagers. It will show why Australian teenagers involve themselves in such behaviour and analyse the reasons by using sociological theories. It will also give a Christian perspective to these behaviours and show why such trends are occurring.
There are types of deviant behaviour which are called delinquency. This refers to acts that are criminal, or are considered anti-social, which are committed by young people (Harambolos & Holburn, 2004, p.331). However, many deviant acts that are disapproved of are not defined as criminal. For example suicide and alcoholism are not illegal in Australia.
Deviant behaviour can be defined as social problems reflect violations of normative expectations. Behaviour or situations that depart from norms are deviant. Deviant behaviour is caused by inappropriate socialization – for example, when the learning of deviant ways is not outweighing by the learning of non-deviant ways. This socialization is viewed as taking place within the context of primary group relations (Rubington & Weinberg, 2003, p.124). Both suicide and binge drinking can be classified as deviant behaviour.
A death is classified as a suicide when a person has died as a result of a deliberate act to cause his or her own death (Life, living is for everyone, 2011). In 2009, two thousand, one hundred and thirty two deaths by suicide were registered in Australia (ABS, 2011). According to research, the suicide rates in Australia are at an unacceptably high level. Research also shows that in Queensland alone suicide cost due to loss in productive life-years lost is around $40million (Social factors in suicide Australia, 1996).
Studies show that the suicide rate among married people tends to be lower. Because suicide is correlated with domestic integration then marriage serves as the best protection against
This essay will discuss the topics of youth suicide, binge drinking and deviant behaviour amongst Australian teenagers. It will show why Australian teenagers involve themselves in such behaviour and analyse the reasons by using sociological theories. It will also give a Christian perspective to these behaviours and show why such trends are occurring.
There are types of deviant behaviour which are called delinquency. This refers to acts that are criminal, or are considered anti-social, which are committed by young people (Harambolos & Holburn, 2004, p.331). However, many deviant acts that are disapproved of are not defined as criminal. For example suicide and alcoholism are not illegal in Australia.
Deviant behaviour can be defined as social problems reflect violations of normative expectations. Behaviour or situations that depart from norms are deviant. Deviant behaviour is caused by inappropriate socialization – for example, when the learning of deviant ways is not outweighing by the learning of non-deviant ways. This socialization is viewed as taking place within the context of primary group relations (Rubington & Weinberg, 2003, p.124). Both suicide and binge drinking can be classified as deviant behaviour.
A death is classified as a suicide when a person has died as a result of a deliberate act to cause his or her own death (Life, living is for everyone, 2011). In 2009, two thousand, one hundred and thirty two deaths by suicide were registered in Australia (ABS, 2011). According to research, the suicide rates in Australia are at an unacceptably high level. Research also shows that in Queensland alone suicide cost due to loss in productive life-years lost is around $40million (Social factors in suicide Australia, 1996).
Studies show that the suicide rate among married people tends to be lower. Because suicide is correlated with domestic integration then marriage serves as the best protection against