SOCIALIZATION VIA INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETICS - ITS EFFECTS ON DELINQUENCY

• NCJ Number: 66257
• Journal: SOCIOLOGY OF EDUCATION Volume: 51 Dated: (OCTOBER 1978) Pages: 299-303
• Author(s): D M LANDERS; D M LANDERS
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 5 pages
• Corporate Author: American Sociological Review
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

ALL 521 MALE STUDENTS GRADUATING FROM ONE HIGH SCHOOL BETWEEN 1959 AND 1972 WERE STUDIED TO ASSESS THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN PARTICIPATION TO EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, ESPECIALLY ATHLETICS, AND DELINQUENT ACTS.

Abstract

THE HIGH SCHOOL WAS LOCATED IN A NORTHEASTERN TOWN OF APPROXIMATELY 7.800 PEOPLE. ARCHIVAL DATA WERE GATHERED FROM HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOKS. THE STUDENTS WERE CATEGORIZED BY TYPE OF PARTICIPATION: ATHLETICS ONLY (113 STUDENTS), SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP ACTIVITIES ONLY (118 STUDENTS), BOTH ATHLETICS AND SERVICE-LEADERSHIP ACTIVITIES (170 STUDENTS), AND NO FORM OF EXTRACURRICULAR INVOLVEMENT (120 STUDENTS). RECORDS ON MISDEMEANORS AND FELONIES WERE COLLECTED FROM THE TOWN'S COURT RECORDS. RATES OF DELINQUENCY WERE HIGHEST FOR STUDENTS WHO ENGAGED IN NO EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES. DELINQUENCY RATES WERE APPROXIMATELY THE SAME AND LOWER FOR THE GROUPS PARTICIPATING EITHER IN ATHLETICS OR IN SERVICE-LEADERSHIP ACTIVITIES ONLY. THE LOWEST DELINQUENCY RATES WERE FOR STUDENTS IN BOTH KINDS OF EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY. ONE-WAY ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE SHOWED THAT SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS SCORES OF STUDENTS IN EACH PARTICIPATION CATEGORY DID NOT DIFFER SIGNIFICANTLY. DATA DO NOT SUPPORT THE CONTENTION THAT ATHLETICS OFFER SOCIALIZATION OPPORTUNITIES BEYOND THOSE FOUND IN OTHER KINDS OF SCHOOL EXTRACURRICULAR PROGRAMS. WHETHER THE LOW INCIDENTS OF DELINQUENCY IN THE EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES GROUPS MAY RESULT FROM SELECTION, VOLUNTARY COMMITMENT OF TIME, PERCEIVED PEER STATUS, SOME OTHER FACTOR, OR SOME COMBINATION OF FACTORS, HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED. STUDY DATA MUST BE INTERPRETED CAUTIOUSLY BECAUSE THE SAMPLE CAME FROM A SINGLE SCHOOL. NEVERTHELESS, FINDINGS DEMONSTRATE A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PARTICIPATION IN EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AND LOWER INCIDENCE OF DELINQUENCY. FUTURE RESEARCH SHOULD EXAMINE REASONS FOR PARTICIPATION OR NONPARTICIPATION IN EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES. A TABLE AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (CFW)