




Altoona, Pennsylvania
Altoona, PA Profile
Altoona, PA, population 49,523 , is located
in Pennsylvania's Blair county,
about 84.4 miles from Pittsburgh and 127.1 miles from Baltimore.
In the 90's the population of Altoona has declined by about 5%.
It is Estimated in recent years the population of Altoona has been declining at an annual rate of 1.0 percent.
Reports show that during 2003 property crime levels in the Altoona area were lower than Pennsylvania's average.
The same data shows violent crime levels to be lower than the Pennsylvania average.
Altoona Statistics
Altoona Gender Information
Males in Altoona: 23,229 (47%)
Females in Altoona: 26,294 (53%)
As % of Population in Altoona
Race Diversity in Altoona
White: 96%
African American: 2%
Other/Mixed: 2%
As % of Population in Altoona
Age Diversity in Altoona
Median Age in Altoona: 37.4 (Males in Altoona: 35.2, Females in Altoona: 39.6)
Altoona Males Under 20: 14%
Altoona Females Under 20: 14%
Altoona Males 20 to 40: 13%
Altoona Females 20 to 40: 13%
Altoona Males 40 to 60: 12%
Altoona Females 40 to 60: 13%
Altoona Males Over 60: 8%
Altoona Females Over 60: 13%
Economics in Altoona
Altoona Household Average Size: 2.37 people
Altoona Median Household Income: $ 28,248
Altoona Median Value of Homes: $ 57,600
Law Enforcement in Altoona
Reported crimes in the Altoona area during 2003:
Murder and non-negligent man-slaughter: 1
Forcible rape: 24
Robbery: 68
Aggravated assault: 63
Violent crime events per 100,000 people: 321
Burglary: 357
Larceny-theft: 983
Motor vehicle theft: 80
Arson: 5
Property crime events per 100,000 people: 2,921
Altoona Location Information
Elevation: 1,170 feet above sea level.
Land Area: 9.8 Square Miles.
Nearby Towns & Cities to Altoona
Hollidaysburg 6.3 Miles
Duncansville 6.9 Miles
Bellwood 6.9 Miles
Tunnelhill 8.2 Miles
Ashville 8.6 Miles
Gallitzin 8.6 Miles
Newry 8.9 Miles
Tipton 9.6 Miles
Sankertown 10.9 Miles
Williamsburg 11.0 Miles
Big Cities Nearest Altoona
(Population 100,000+)
Pittsburgh 84.4 Miles
Baltimore 127.1 Miles
Arlington 132.5 Miles
Washington 133.5 Miles
Alexandria 138.6 Miles
Erie 141.8 Miles
Allentown 152.7 Miles
Buffalo 165.7 Miles
Akron 168.1 Miles
Philadelphia 175.0 Miles
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Facts
Cocaine Availability. Colombian drug cartels continue to manage most aspects of the cocaine trade from acquisition of cocaine base, to cocaine production in South America and transportation, to wholesale distribution in the United States. Polydrug trafficking gangs in Mexico, which used to serve primarily as transporters for the Colombian groups, are increasingly assuming a more prominent role in the transportation and distribution of cocaine. Wholesale cocaine distribution and money laundering networks are typically organized into multiple cells functioning in major metropolitan areas. Domestically, retail level sales are conducted by a wide variety of criminal groups. These sellers are often organized along regional, cultural, and ethnic lines that facilitate internal security while serving a demand for drugs that permeates every part of our society. OxyContin® went on the market in 1996. For patients with serious, ongoing pain, the drug is highly preferable to previous brands because it avoids their two drawbacks. OxyContin® contains no other active ingredients which can cause side effects. It comes in larger dosages with a special timed-release coating, so patients may take only two pills a day. Legal sales of OxyContin® in 1996 reportedly totaled about $40 million. By 2000, sales were greater than $1 billion, making it the number one narcotic pain relief pill. Most of the pills sold are believed to have been used by legitimate patients. Neither of these two approaches has won the war on cocaine, however. Although use of cocaine in powder form has declined since 1985, crack use has increased. Both drugs, moreover, remain a major health and social problem and both continue to thrive on the streets of America regardless of the billions of dollars annually spent trying to stamp them out. Students commonly pair pills with beer and cigarettes, experts say. They trade tips about the effects of prescription drugs on networking sites like Facebook and trade pills they've stolen from home medicine cabinets, ordered on the Internet or taken from friends with legitimate prescriptions. Prescription drug abuse among 18- to 25-year-olds rose 17 percent from 2002 to 2005, according to the White House drug policy office. In 2004 and again in 2005, there were more new abusers of prescription drugs than new users of any illicit drug. Young people mistakenly believe prescription drugs are safer than street drugs, doctors say. But accidental prescription drug deaths are rising and students who abuse pills are more likely to drive fast, binge-drink and engage in other dangerous behaviors. |
Therapeutic Community
An effective therapeutic community attends to the many needs of the individual, not just his or her drug use. Care given at a therapeutic community addresses the individual's drug use and associated medical, psychological, social, vocational, and legal problems. Also, a therapeutic community will continue to be flexible and provide ongoing assessments of the individual's needs, which may change during the course of care.
Remaining in care at a therapeutic community for an adequate period of time is critical for treatment effectiveness. The time depends on an individual's needs. For most people, the significant improvement is reached at about 3 months in treatment.
Drug Addiction
Drug addiction is a pattern of repeated drug taking that usually results in tolerance (the need for greater amounts of the drug to achieve the same effect), withdrawal (physical and cognitive effects when drug use declines or stops), and compulsive drug taking behavior (drug taking that persists despite efforts to reduce intake and despite problems with family, friends, and work). Drug addiction encompasses a diverse range of drugs (such as alcohol, cannabis, amphetamines, and cocaine) and is caused by many different factors.
Addiction Treatment
Addiction treatment is needed when an individual finds that they have developed a drug or alcohol addiction which they are not able to successful end on their own. With the help of addiction treatment, addicted individual can get help to control their drug taking behavior and live happy and successful lives. There are several addiction treatment options available for drug and alcohol addiction. Some of these options include self-help groups, counseling, drug rehabilitation programs (in and out-patient), and residential treatment facilities. Each of these differ
in their aims and outcomes and elements of these addiction treatment options are often
combined.
Abstinence
Abstinence is the act or practice of refraining from indulging a desire. The type of abstinence we are referring to here is abstinence from drugs and alcohol. This term has two connotations when it comes to abstaining from drugs. The first refers to drug or alcohol treatment programs that aim to help an individual stop using drugs or alcohol for the rest of their lives. The time abstinence is also used in drug education and prevention. It refers to trying to stop children from ever using drugs.
Tolerance
Tolerance to a drug takes place when an individual is exposed to the same drug repeatedly and begins to build up an resistance to the drugs effects. The body then adapts and develops a tolerance for the drug. The addiction that is produced is so powerful that it creates cravings in the user. These cravings for the drug are the result of its impact on the individual's memory with feelings of pleasantness and euphoria which the individual has come to associate with the taking of the drug.
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