Research Domain: Group Four - Learning and Work Transition

Title of Project: Young People and Jobs: Class, Culture and Connections

Start Date: April 1, 1997
Academic Investigator: Dr. J. Tanner (UT)

This study examined the long-term impact of delinquency upon education and adult occupational attachments. Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, we measured five forms of delinquency from 1979 when respondents were 14-17 years old, and investigated whether they predict five different outcomes when those individuals were aged 25-30.

We found that all types of delinquency have consistently significant and negative impact on educational attainment for both males and females, net of status attainment variables. Delinquency also has a fairly consistent impact on male occupational outcomes, but has weaker effects on female ones. Overall the data suggests that delinquency has autonomous and negative effects upon later life chances. Findings are then discussed in light of links between status attainment models and theories of crime and delinquency.