Schooling and Delinquency among White and African American Adolescents

Abstract

Adolescent delinquency may be a likely consequence of negative school experiences, including poor academic performance, low class attendance, and dropping out. Given disparate experiences that African American and White students often encounter in school, this investigation examined the link between delinquency and school behaviors separately for White and African American males at risk for delinquency. In addition, it asked whether school experiences are equally related to both minor and more severe forms of criminal behavior. Results indicated that class attendance was related to higher incidence of both minor and serious delinquency. For African American adolescents, poor school grades and dropping out of school were predictive of both types of delinquency. The insignificant relationship between delinquency and school failure for White adolescents may be partially attributed to an economic safety net that provides assistance for White students who fall from the educational system. The importance of succeeding and persisting in school is highlighted for African American adolescents.