Delinquency And High School Dropouts

Understanding delinquency and reasons why young adolescents disengage in education and later drop out of school has continually puzzled practitioners and theoreticians. While there have been works that have focused on delinquency and disengagement in education, the role that the family plays on reducing delinquency has generally remained unknown. Theoretical concepts that explain the propensities toward delinquent behavior and disengagement in education are discussed comprehensively in this unique book. "Adopted and cited in the 104th Congress, 2nd Session / Senate Document 104-20, Page 13, National Debate Topic for High Schools, 1996-97, (Pursuant to 44 United States Code, Section 1333)." (You may view the full citing at: http: //www.access.gpo.gov/congress/sen-rpt-104-20.txt)

Gasper examines whether drug use and delinquency contribute to early school leaving and whether the effects differ for poor and middle-class youth. Results suggest that drug use and delinquency add little to explanations of dropout. Rather, drug use, delinquency, and dropout are driven by a process of precocious development rooted in early school failure. Driven by a fundamental dissatisfaction with school, precocious teens are more likely to use drugs, take on a job outside of school, and leave school without a diploma in an effort to gain independence. Dropout prevention should start in middle or elementary school and attempt to interrupt the developmental cycle of failure and problem behavior that culminates in dropout.

Delinquency in Society, Tenth Edition provides a comprehensive and systematic overview of juvenile delinquency, criminal behavior, and status-offending youths.

Surveys the major theoretical approaches to understanding delinquent behavior, both biological and psychological. It features careful explanations of the major theories and analyzes each theory's underlying assumptions, the important concepts behind it, and finally the critical evaluations of the research associated with each theory presented.