Poor literacy indices have long been associated with third-world countries. However, a similar trend is being witnessed in several developed economies. This essay will examine the factors responsible and highlight the possible effects of illiteracy on such communities.
One major cause of the contemporary trend of dwindling literacy levels in advanced countries is illicit drug use and alcoholism. Adolescents using alcohol and hard drugs such as cocaine, heroin and amphetamine are at risk of prolonged alcohol and drug-related problems together with co-occurrence with mental health problems. These untoward effects all combine to cause long-term, negative school-related outcomes, such as lower high school graduation rates, lower post-secondary educational credentials and higher drop-out rates from school. As a result, the literacy data of countries bedevilled with alcohol abuse and narcotics is generally boor. Several studies in the USA, Asia and Europe have reported that substance abuse significantly impedes educational attainment by decreasing the number of years of schooling and the likelihood of completing school. This, hence, corroborates the fact that drug abuse in advanced countries sits atop the list of causes of the rising rate of illiteracy in that part of the world.
Turning to the consequences, a society with escalating numbers of illiterates would face the challenges of crime. Being in school keeps potential criminals off the streets and possibly exposes them to the right sort of peers and social attitudes. Because it is often difficult for uneducated individuals to secure gainful employment in our modern society and they have to survive, their only option would be to resort to nefarious activities such as burglary, armed robbery and others. Advanced nations like Germany and the United Kingdom who have been experiencing unsatisfactory school attendances are similarly encountering high criminal records. This validates a linear relationship between low literacy rates and criminal offences.
In conclusion, the noticeable rise in illiteracy figures in some parts of the developed world is due to widespread drug and alcohol dependence among the people. The principal effect of this on such societies is a surge in criminal statistics.