In reviewing recent trends in delinquency theorizing and research, it is noted that track position, independent of status origins, is highly associated with such behavioral outcomes as youth rebellion and official delinquency. This observation, given its provocative theoretical and policy implications, is subjected to fresh empirical scrutiny through use of self‐report delinquency data obtained from 173 seniors (both males and females) attending two high schools in western New York State. Analyses, through use of Yule's Q and first‐order partials, indicate that these data are strongly supportive of the recent trends noted. Track position, relative to both sex and status origins, emerges as the strongest predictor of self‐report delinquent involvement. Implications of these findings are discussed.

William T: Pinkr ecently social scientists, in attempting to understand the rise of particularly rebellious and delinquent behavior, have begun to direct their attention to the differential school statuses that students often occupy within the educational system. For example, Toby ( 1 957), in his concentration on those students who are situated in a failure status, has suggested that failure can serve as a major catalyst in the production of (especially gang) delinquency. Presumably, his failing students, in being aware of their low position in the academic hierarchy, reject the conventional value system of AUTHORS NOTE: Z%he research on which this paper is based was

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An extensive literature has developed on the relationship between school failure and adolescent misconduct. Almost all of this literature has assumed that school failure is causally prior to adolescent misconduct. but little systematic attention has been devoted to the critical issue of causal order. of misconduct is causally prior to school failure, most of the recent work on the school‐delinquency linkage would have to be rejected. Given a workable definition of “delinquency” or “misconduct.” the causal order issue can be empirically assessed. Evidence from cross‐sectional and longitudinal studies provides at least tentative support for the proposition that school failure precedes misconduct in the causal process.

Peers and track placement determine, to a large degree, students' deviance.