The Effect of Dropping Out of High School on Subsequent Criminal Behavior*

Abstract

Sociological theories of delinquency offer rather divergent predictions concerning the eflect of dropping out of high school on subsequent delinquent and criminal behavior. For example, strain theory suggests that dropping out decreases such behavior, especially for lower class youth, while social control theov suggests that dropping out should increase the chances of criminal activity. Moreover, empirical studies provide support for each of these views with the most influential study (Elliott and Voss, 1974) presenting evidence consistent with a strain perspective. The present investigation identifies methodological shortcomings in previous studies and reexamines the link between dropout status and subsequent criminal activity. Results indicate that dropping out of high school is positively associated with later crime, an outcome that is consistent with a control perspective.The relationship between school failure and criminal behavior is a recurrent theme in theories of delinquency. Eventual dropouts have been found to have considerably higher rates of delinquency during high school than do graduates (e.g., Elliott and Voss, 1974; Polk, Adler, Bazemore, Blake, Cordray, Coventry, Galvin, and Temple, 1981), a finding consistent both with conventional wisdom and most theories of delinquency. However, what is not clear either theoretically or empirically is the effect that dropping out of high school has on subsequent criminal behavior. Indeed, for this relationship two basic models of delinquency, strain theory and social control theory, offer rather divergent predictions.CRIMINOLOGY VOLUME 23 NUMBER 1 1985 3

Association Between Adolescent Drinking and Adult Violence: Evidence From a Longitudinal Study of Urban African Americans

“…In particular, problematic drinking during adolescence can lead to school dropout and other types of educational failure (Hawkins et al, 1997;Newcomb and Bentler, 1988;Schulenberg and Maggs, 2002;Staff et al, 2008), which in turn, have been linked to an increased risk of crime (Thornberry, et al, 1985). Thus, drinking during adolescence may serve as a contributing factor for adult violence in that it can set an individual on a long-term trajectory of socioeconomic failures that perpetuate all types of crimes, including violence.…”

Consommation de psychotropes et délinquance : de bons prédicteurs de l’abandon scolaire ?

“…L'interpréta-tion des résultats des études sur ce sujet porte à débat, particulièrement entre les tenants de la théorie du contrôle social, pour qui le décrochage est un événement précipitant vers la conduite criminelle (Bachman et ai, 1971 ;Polk et al, 1981 ;Thornberry et al, 1985), et les tenants de la théorie des tensions, pour qui le décrochage scolaire vient diminuer la pression poussant à l'agir délictueux (Elliot et Voss, 1974 ;Hartnagel et Khran, 1989). Jarjoura (1993Jarjoura ( , 1996 montre comment ces deux perspectives théoriques peuvent être invoquées si on étudie les relations en fonction des motifs d'abandon ou du statut social des sujets.…”

The Economics and Financing of Urban Schools: Toward a Productive, Solution-Oriented Discourse

“…Together, high school and college graduation translate into a better quality of life for urban students and higher tax revenues which benefit society as a whole by providing funds to support a broad spectrum of public programs and services we take for granted, such as police, firefighters, roads, schools, parks, and libraries-to name just a few. In addition, high school graduates are less likely to engage in criminal activity or need social welfare support than noncompleters (Lochner and Moretti 2003;Thornberry, Moore, and Christenson 1985). High school graduation thus benefits communities by making them safer while allowing individual taxpayers to spend less on police protection and the criminal justice system.…”