NCJ Number
56866
Journal
Urban Education Volume: 13 Issue: 3 Dated: (OCTOBER 1978) Pages: 397-406
Date Published
1978
Length
10 pages
Annotation
THE RELATION BETWEEN TRACK POSITION AND YOUTH MISCONDUCT WAS STUDIED, AND THE IMPACT OF ACADEMIC SELF-ESTEEM, SCHOOL COMMITMENT, AND PEER AFFILIATION MEASURES ON YOUTH CRIME WAS ASSESSED.
Abstract
A SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE CONTAINING VARIOUS DEMOGRAPHIC, FAMILY, SCHOOL, AND PEER VARIABLES WAS ADMINISTERED IN 1976 TO STUDENTS ATTENDING A SELECTED HIGH SCHOOL, RESULTING IN A TOTAL OF 132 QUESTIONNAIRES. CURRICULUM ASSIGNMENT OR TRACK POSITION WAS MEASURED BY A QUESTION CONCERNING WHAT CURRICULUM OR COURSE OF STUDY STUDENTS WERE PURSUING. STUDENTS WERE CLASSIFIED AS COLLEGE-BOUND OR NONCOLLEGE-BOUND. TEN INDICATORS OF SCHOOL MISCONDUCT AND YOUTH DEVIANCE WERE EXAMINED. THE FIRST FOUR WERE CHOSEN BECAUSE THEY WERE SPECIFICALLY SCHOOL-RELATED AND ALSO ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT TRACK POSITION MAY BE A BETTER PREDICTOR OF ACTIVITIES INDIGENOUS TO THE SCHOOL SETTING AS OPPOSED TO ACTIVITIES THAT ARE NOT. THE REMAINING SIX MEASURES WERE SELECTED BECAUSE OF THEIR MORE GENERAL NATURE. IN PARTICULAR, SUBJECTS WHO HAD SMOKED CIGARETTES, DRANK, SMOKED MARIJUANA, SHOPLIFTED, BEEN ARRESTED, OR APPEARED BEFORE A JUVENILE COURT WERE CHARACTERIZED AS EXHIBITING A FORM OF YOUTH DEVIANCE. SEVERAL MEASURES OF ACADEMIC SELF-ESTEEM, A POTENTIAL INTERPRETIVE TEST FACTOR, WERE AVAILABLE FOR ANALYSIS. SCHOOL COMMITMENT WAS MEASURED ON THE BASIS OF GRADES AND AFFECT. PEER PRESSURE AND PEER AFFILIATION WERE EVALUATED IN QUESTIONS DEALING WITH FRIENDS, THE SCHOOL, AND THE LAW. TRACK POSITION WAS ASSOCIATED WITH SCHOOL MISCONDUCT AND CRIME, THE DEGREE OF ASSOCIATION RANGING FROM MODERATE TO SUBSTANTIAL FOR ALL ACTS. LOW TRACK STUDENTS WERE MORE LIKELY TO REPORT INVOLVEMENT IN CRIME THAN HIGH TRACK STUDENTS. IN CONTRAST, THE QUESTION OF WHETHER SUCH TEST FACTORS AS ACADEMIC SELF-ESTEEM AND SCHOOL COMMITMENT CAN MEANINGFULLY INTERPRET THE RELATION BETWEEN TRACK POSITION AND YOUTH MISCONDUCT RECEIVED VIRTUALLY NO EMPIRICAL SUPPORT. PEER PRESSURE AND PEER AFFILIATION FACTORS APPEARED TO EXERT A MINOR IMPACT ON YOUTH CRIME, ALTHOUGH GROUP SUPPORT AND GROUP CONTEXT WERE IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS IN YOUTH ACTIVITIES. THE FINDINGS HIGHLIGHT THE NEED TO EXAMINE THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS, PARTICULARLY IN TERMS OF THE NEGATIVE IMPACT IT MAY HAVE ON VULNERABLE STUDENTS. SUPPORTING DATA, NOTES, AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)