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THE EFFECT OF DROPPING OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL ON SUBSEQUENT CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR *
Author(s) -
THORNBERRY TERENCE P.,
MOORE MELANIE,
CHRISTENSON R. L.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
criminology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.467
H-Index - 139
eISSN - 1745-9125
pISSN - 0011-1384
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-9125.1985.tb00323.x
Subject(s) - juvenile delinquency , general strain theory , criminal behavior , perspective (graphical) , dropout (neural networks) , psychology , criminology , social psychology , school dropout , social control theory , criminal behaviour , empirical research , developmental psychology , sociology , epistemology , mathematics , philosophy , geometry , machine learning , socioeconomics , computer science
Sociological theories of delinquency offer rather divergent predictions concerning the effect 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 theory 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.