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Research Summary: This study examines self‐reports from two samples to assess the timing of delinquency. Results imply that the after‐school hours are a time of elevated delinquency, but that the peak is modest compared with that observed in official records. Additionally, children who are unsupervised during the after‐school hours ‐ the primary target population for after‐school programs ‐ are found to be more delinquent at all times, not only after‐school. Policy Implications: This finding suggests that factors (including social competencies and social bonding) in addition to inadequate supervision produce delinquency during the after‐school hours and that the effectiveness of after‐school programs for reducing delinquency will depend upon their ability to address these other factors through appropriate and high quality services.
Gottfredson et al. (Thu,) studied this question.