Status Origins, Track Position, and Delinquent Involvement: a Self-report Analysis

In reviewing recent trends in delinquency theorizing and research, it is noted that track position, independent of status origins, is highly associated with such behavioral outcomes as youth rebellion and official delinquency. This observation, given its provocative theoretical and policy implications, is subjected to fresh empirical scrutiny through use of self-report delinquency data obtained from 173 seniors (both males and females) attending two high schools in western New York State. Analyses, through use of Yule's Q and first-order partials, indicate that these data are strongly supportive of the recent trends noted. Track position, relative to both sex and status origins, emerges as the strongest predictor of self-report delinquent involvement. Implications of these findings are discussed.