In this paper, we will be examining the role of peer pressure on youth drug abuse and the effect that labeling theory has on the peer pressure. We will then examine how total institution can either harm or help a juvenile delinquent. First, we must identify what peer pressure is. Peer pressure (or social pressure) is a direct influence on people by peers or an individual who gets encouraged to follow their peers by changing their attitudes, values, or behaviors to conform to those of the influencing group or individual. (Wikipedia, n.d.) We should remember peer pressure can have positive or negative influence. Now that we have established a clinical definition of peer pressure, we can move forward to seeing how it plays in youth drug abuse. Peer pressure can lead a teen down one of two paths. It can lead a teen into danger; it can also lead a teen away from danger. We will first look at the negative influences of peer pressure. If instead of spending time with those who support substance use, the teen spends time with peers of positive influence, he/she can begin to use peer pressure to advantage.  Positive peer pressure can steer a teen away from using substances by providing a new place of belonging. According to research conducted by the National Institute Drug Abuse (NIDA) showed that teens do think of the risk and the rewards of their actions or behavior; however, teens will choose rewards over risk majority of the time in order to impress their friends. (Peers Increase Teen Driving Risk via Heightened Reward Activity, 2012). When a peer uses a drug and talks of the euphoric reaction to the substance, others are more likely to partake of the same drugs. The use of the drugs in the peer group can be theorized to be done to feel like part of the overall group or to impress one or more people in their peer group. When we take this peer pressure and drug abuse and apply the labeling theory, that the social structures within society may pressure student peers to commit crimes, that normally would not.  The youth may be labeled by the actions of their parents or other family members. When a youth is labeled with a deviant label before doing any drugs or other deviant behavior for that manner, then I surmise that this youth will have a predisposition to give in to peer pressure more quickly than someone who is not labeled as a deviant. Let’s take a look at labeling theory in practice as part of my life. I was raised in an upper-middle-class household, but behind closed doors, things were much different. This difference caused me to develop deviant behavior, as I found when I acted out I received attention. I began to act out for attention may be an excellent example of the rational choice theory. People was seeing me acting out, and I was labeled a delinquent at a fairly young age, but what people did not see was the near perfect grades, my ability in various sports, and my many extracurricular activities. It wasn’t towards the end of my sophomore year did I finally break and became the deviant that I had always been labeled as which started a downward spiral. I dropped out of school, became heavily involved in drugs, and some other unmentionable things. My expectations were always to play college football and to become an ER Trauma Doctor, but I ended up for the longest time living up the expectations of those around me.   This brings me to the total institution, when these deviant behaviors catch up to us we are typically placed in some institution for rehabilitation. The problem is in prison and jails that many come out more deviant than they went in, or they become institutionalized and do not want to leave because they cannot function on the outside. If juveniles are placed in a place to receive treatment, to be shown love and compassion, to have touches from God, then we start to see true change happen. When all the labels are stripped away, and the new ones of positive reinforcement are added, then they start to believe in themselves again. We still face issues with institutionalism. I am dealing with that exact case right now. One of my students is scheduled for court on 2/9 and expected to be released. In the past week, he has gotten in a fight (first fight in his entire time), has walked out of the dorm without permission after bedtime, and most recently used drugs on a home visit, and then tried to fool the drug screen. He is scared to leave; he feels the love that he doesn’t get at home. He had changed in his six months there, a hostile 16-year-old when he came in flipping tables, cussing out staff, and just complete disobedience. Now a mostly well-behaved seventeen-year-old, who shows respect, and is no longer flipping table. He has learned how to cope, something he would never get or obtained in jail or prison setting.             Bibliography Peers Increase Teen Driving Risk via Heightened Reward Activity. (2012, March). Retrieved from National Institute of Drug Abuse: https://www.drugabuse.gov/news-events/nida-notes/2012/03/peers-increase-teen-driving-risk-heightened-reward-activity Wikipedia. (n.d.). Retrieved from Peer Pressure: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peer_pressure