NCJ Number
243882
Date Published
March 2009
Length
372 pages
Annotation
This study examined the problem of peer victimization and its impact on juvenile delinquency and the effectiveness of bullying prevention programs.
Abstract
This study examined 1) the problem of bullying, or peer victimization, and its impact on juvenile delinquency, and 2) the effectiveness of bullying prevention programs. Using data from the NLSY97 (National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997), the researcher assessed the impact of bully victimization on a range of 10 delinquency outcomes and found that bully victimization that occurred prior to age 12 was significantly predictive of the development of several delinquent behaviors. These delinquent behaviors included running away from home, selling drugs, vandalism, theft, other property crimes, and assault. The study also examined the effectiveness of bullying prevention programs and found that as a whole, these programs were significantly effective at reducing the problem of victimization in schools but were only marginally effective at reducing the overall problem of bullying. Specifically, the study found that prevention programs were more successful with victims of bullying than with perpetrators of bullying. Additional information contained in this report includes a "comprehensive narrative literature review on the nature and significance of school bullying including controversies in definition; types of measurement; a description of victims, bully-victims, bullies, and bystanders with regard to defining characteristics, risk and protective factors, and outcomes and correlates of involvement in bullying/victimization; and a review of theoretical models that explain why bullying occurs." Study limitations and implications for future research are discussed. Tables, figures, and appendixes