School Factors and Delinquency

Several theorists have indicated and numerous studies have confirmed that school factors are related to delinquency (Cloward & Ohlin, 1960; Cohen, 1955; Merton, 1938). For example, Elliot and Voss (1974) found that school-related variables are more important as contributing factors to delinquent behavior than the effects of either family or friends. Likewise, Braithwaite (1981) argued that school may be the most important indicator of delinquency in American society. In addition, the school setting has been the scene of a significant amount of violence. For example, a survey by the National Education Association found that 5% of teachers were physically attacked in school in 1981 (National Education Association, 1982). In addition, victimization surveys show that in 1989, about 9% of students were victims of school crime in a 6-month period: 2% reported one or more violent crimes and 7% reported at least one property crime (U.S. Department of Justice, 1991). Although many researchers have focused on the relationship between school and delinquency, very few have examined the relationship between school and delinquency of African American youths (Cernkovich & Giordano, 1992). The focus of this article is twofold: (a) to examine the relationship between school and the delinquency of African American youths, along with the influence of gender and type of school, and (b) to examine the policy implications of the findings of this study.