NCJ Number
181531
Journal
Social Problems Volume: 46 Issue: 2 Dated: May 1999 Pages: 250-274
Date Published
May 1999
Length
25 pages
Annotation
This study examines whether and how teen delinquency is consequential for a variety of educational and employment outcomes.
Abstract
From the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, the study measured five forms of delinquency when respondents were 14 to 17 years old and investigated whether they predicted five different outcomes when these individuals were ages 25 to 30. The study measured the prevalence of skipping school, drug use, violent behavior, engaging in property crime and contact with the criminal justice system. It used a variety of regression models to explore whether delinquency had negative zero-order effects and negative partial effects net of standard status attainment variables. All types of delinquency had consistently significant and negative impacts on educational attainment among both males and females. Delinquency also had a fairly consistent impact on male occupational outcomes but had weaker effects on female occupational outcomes. Overall, delinquency had autonomous and negative effects on later life chances. Notes, tables, appendix, references