The High School Dropout:

Identifiable Factors for delinquency and

deterrence.

Jessica Riley

University of Central Florida

April 8th 2015

1

Contents:

Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………

….3

Summary…………………………………………………………………………………………

..3

The Delinquent………………………………….

…………………………………………………4

The

Deterred………………………………………………………………………………………5

Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………………

…6

Author Works and

Credibility……………………………………………………………………...7

Travis Hirschi: Social Bond Theory…………………………………………….

………..…7

Rishawn Biddle: The Cost of Juvenile

Justice………………………………………………8

2

Works

Cited…………………………………………………………………………………...9&10

Introduction:

Today, there are approximately 70 million children in the US under the

age of 18; 20 million of these children are between the ages of 11 and 17

(census.gov, 2012). These 20 million are those that choose to stay in school

or drop out of school and they may either enter a legitimate life or a

criminal one. What is it that determines this choice for a young adult? The

purpose of this paper is to distinguish the characteristics of a dropout that

may lead a life of crime or the dropout that that continues on a legitimate

road. However, first, let’s look at the statistics to have a better

understanding of the situation.

3

Summary:

It has long been known that there is a correlation of education and its

effects on crime. Currently, the high school student drop out average is up

to 1.2 million annually (Buidon.org, 2014). Furthermore, juvenile

delinquency represents an average of 2.1 million or more in arrests

annually (repeat offending is extremely popular among this demographic).

Right now in the US, including this moment, on a daily basis there is

approximately 96,000 or more youths in our criminal justice system. Out of

the 96,000 incarcerated only 12% have a high school diploma and by just

dropping of high school, the student now faces an 80% chance to engage in

delinquency (Biddle, Rishawn, 2010). For each arrested juvenile, the US

spends $240 per day equaling a spending of $5.7 billion a year for the

incarceration of our Nation’s young adults (Justice Policy, 2009). In

comparison, there are about 14 million students enrolled in 9-12th grade and

the US expenditures only equals to roughly $650 million annually for public

schools k-12 (this is almost three times the annual spending for public

schools, even though they house less than 10% of our youth) (census.gov,

2012). If we could increase the graduation rate of only white males by just

1%, the US could save over $1.5 billion annually (Lochner, 2003). So, how

do we know who is the 1%? How can we find and identify them to

encourage the completion of high school?

The Delinquent:

4

Delinquency is a global fallacy, meaning that there is not a one-size-fits-

all shoe for any situation in crime. There are infinite amount of attributes

that can lead a person into crime. However, with this in mind, there are

very similar characteristics that are shared and can be seen among this

population. The most defining or largest contributing factors for dropouts

that engage in crime after dropping out are their guardians, the

environment in which they live in, as well as any mental instability such as,

anxiety, depression, or hyperactive (Flores, 2003). Often the reason for

leaving school is not a legit reason as well. It will consist of something like,

“I didn’t like it” or “I didn’t do well.”(Groot, kleveren, & Massen, Rud, 2012)

One of the most common features that may create the highest risk for

delinquency is the single family home where the mother is the head of

household. With a single family home will bring lower income and a more

absentee parent; this leads me into the subject of environment. If the

income level is below poverty, it is most likely that the environment is of low

commitments, morals and values as well. A child being raised in this

environment with a less present guardian is most likely to be raised, as

social learning would suggest, by that environment and adopt the same

mindset and values (Flores, 2003).

According to the Census Bureau’s (2012) report, there are 1,096,000

families with ages of 15-24 under poverty level. In addition, out of 8.6

million families with children ages 3-5 from the years 1993 to 2007, there

5

were only 36,000 to 83,000 parents that showed involvement with home

literacy. Over half of these families (4.4 million) are single family homes

with a female head householder. These children are now from ages 17 to 11

years old and today’s teens. Another common theme for this scenario is

drug abuse, not only by the mother, but also the child. To throw another

kink in their step, if they have any depression, anxiety or hyperactivity

naturally or from any kind of abuse, the odds go up even further for a life of

crime after dropping out (Flores, 2003). I also say life of crime, because

those who commit crime during their young adult lives are also the highest

at risk for recidivism. Juvenile delinquents are more likely than murderers

to return to jail after release and continue to be in and out of the criminal

justice system. Unfortunately another attribute is a person’s ethnic

background. Minorities are and have been for a long time overrepresented

in arrests. Over 60% of arrested juveniles are of a minority; 30%

Black/African American, 20% Hispanic and other as the last 10%

(Census.gov).

The Deterred:

The characteristics become a lot shorter for those who do not engage in

crime after dropping out. The differences for those who are self-disciplined

in contrast to the juvenile delinquent are their commitments and reasoning

(Hirschi, Travis, 1969). According to Travis Herschi’s (1969) and his Social

Bonds Theory, what will stop a person from committing crime is the

6

person’s actual commitment to a legitimate institution such as a church, a

home, work, or a positive relationship with the community. The

participation in an institution not only reduces the actual time that one may

engage in illegitimate activities, but it also gives the person a sense of self-

worth and confidence. Being committed to a legitimate program lays the

ground for learning and embracing the proper values and morals to be

accepted in society. They, however, cannot just be a part of it; they must

wholeheartedly accept and have some kind of deeper attachment (Hirschi,

Travis, 1969).

Having this institution is important for a dropout. In fact, it is almost a

must. The largest contributing commonality for the high school dropout that

does not commit crime is that they have a legitimate substitute to replace

school, replacing one institution for another. These students are in the same

family and economic circumstances as those who turn to delinquency. They

may have a more engaging family member at home to give the proper

guidance, yet it’s their reasoning for leaving school and the plan to be

committed somewhere else that separates the two. Some students may

leave to go to work, to care for a family member at home, or finish school

early and get their GED. No matter what the reason is, the high school

dropout who does not commit crime has a reason to leave with a legitimate

replacement (Hirschi, Travis, 1969).

Conclusion to Summary:

7

This papers purpose is to give others a better understanding of what it is

that high school dropouts need to succeed in life. Those that leave school

without a diploma, yet have a substitute and reason for leaving school

average the same income as those with a high school diploma. The

dropout’s average income is $20,241 annually while those with a high

school diploma or equivalent earn annually $30,627. This is over a $9,000

increase that totals over 470,000 over a lifetime. We need to encourage the

students to do things right and helping them out of the vicious cycle of

poverty and crime (Kokemuller, Neil, 2015). Instead of punishing juveniles

for what is wrong, we need to support and give them the confidence they

necessary to succeed in a legitimate life. Ivan Pavlov did not reprimand his

dog for wrong behaviors; as an alternative Pavlov rewarded his dog for the

correct behavior. Think of how we could better our future generations if we

spent the $5.7 billion spent on juvenile delinquency. This is almost nine

times the amount our nation spends for our K-12 public education annually

(Census.gov 2012). We could create more accommodating after school

activities (the schools most effective way to reduce criminality), more

teachers to help those that need a little extra one on one (reduce anxiety

and depression for those who have a harder time understanding), and we

could create better programs to encourage students to take the next step to

college. Education helps to rid of ignorance and close mindedness; it

exercises executive cognitive functioning that immediately reduces crime by

having the ability to understand future consequences. There are so many

8

things we could do and all we need is a 1% increase in graduates to make

an enormous impact.

Author Works and Credibility:

SOCIAL BOND/SOCIAL CONTROL THEORY

Hirschi, Travis.

In 1969, Travis Hirschi proposed the Social Bonds Theory. This theory is

extremely well known among the criminology field and is still one of the

most widely cited today. His theory is based off of Merton’s Anomie Strain

theory that suggests that there is criminal motivation due to one’s

disconnecting of societal norms. Hirschi, however, differs from this theory

and most others because he does not ask the usual, “Why do people commit

crime?” he asked “Why don’t we commit crime?’ He looks at the behaviors

of those who are a positive and contributing part of society. Hirschi

discovered that people made bonds with other people and in institutions

that established values and norms that deterred an individual from

engaging in criminal acts and gave them will and the ability to control any

deviant behavior. There are four bonds that complete his theory and are the

key to the question, “Why don’t we?”

The first bond is the measure of one’s Attachment. This describes ones

attachment to family, school or institution that establishes a person’s

strength for social control. Not engaging in a deviant act because they know

9

the consequences that will come from a family member displays self-control

and deterrence. The second is commitment. The deterrence comes from the

weighing of consequences. When someone has a commitment to something

or someone that is valued and viewed important, there is a fear of losing the

commitment that hinders the need to entertain in any criminal acts. The

third bond is Involvement. This bond is simply, the more time you spend and

are involved in your legitimate institution, the less time there is to engage

in illegitimate activities. The last of hid bonds is Belief. You can be attached,

value your commitment and be involved, yet you must believe in it. You

cannot have the first three without the last. Also, if any of these bonds are

missing it cannot be a true Social Bond. All four must be present for the

deterrence in crime.

THE HIGH COST OF JUVENILE JUSTICE

Biddle, Rishawn.

Rishawn Biddle writes a very short but concise published article through

This is Dropout Nation. The article goes straight to the point about the

issues with our Nation and its schools. This article was written without any

fluff, but does so in a way that you can see the bias through his visible

sarcasms. He brings up great facts and points that I doubt most can argue.

Biddle’s article is about the devastating state that our nation is in with

its dropouts and delinquency. He writes about the statistics for the amount

10

of juveniles arrested each year. The billions that are spent along with the

types of charges that goes along and coincides with the arrests. You can tell

he is not sad but sickened at the direction that our youth are heading and

how there seems to be nothing is done about it. I would like to talk more

about this article, yet as I said, this was a very short and to the point article.

Even though it was short, the article is very informative.

Works Cited:

Biddle, Rishawn. (2010). The High Cost of Juvenile Justice; This is

Dropout Nation, Web. Retrieved From:

http://dropoutnation.net/2010/11/23/dropout-nation-high-cost-juvenile-

justice/

Buildon.org, (2014) The Dropout Crisis and Poverty Retrieved from:

http://www.buildon.org/dropout-crisis-us

Doll, Jonathan Jacob. Eslami, Zohreh, and Walters, Lynne; (2013)

Understanding Why Students Drop Out of High School, According to

Their Own Reports: Are They Pushed or Pulled, or Do They Fall Out?

A Comparative Analysis of Seven Nationally Representative Studies.

Published article by Sage. Web. Retrieved From:

11

sgo.sagepub.com

Flores, Robert J., (2003). Child Delinquency, Risk and Protective

Factors of Child Delinquency, U.S. Department of Justice Office of

Justice Programs Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency

Prevention; Web. Retrieved From:

file:///C:/Users/Gidgett/IDS4934Litview/Dropoutfactors.pdf

Groot, Chris; Wim; Rud, Iryna; Van, Klaveren Maassen van den,

Henrie¨ tte (2012). Brink The externalities of crime: The effect of

criminal involvement of parents on the educational attainment of their

children, Economics of Education Review; Web. Retrieved From:

www.Elssvier.com

Lochner, Lance, (2003) The Effect of Education on Crime: Evidence

from Prison Inmates, Arrests, and Self-Reports, Web. Article,

Retrieved from: http://eml.berkeley.edu/~moretti/lm46.pdf

Justice Policy. (2009) The Costs of Confinement: Why Good Juvenile

Justice Policies Make Good Fiscal Sense. The Justice policy Institute 1-

23. Website Retrieved From: http://www.justicepolicy.org/research/78

Kokemuller, Neil; (2015) Graduated High School Students vs.

Dropouts. Synonym; Retrieved From:

http://classroom.synonym.com/graduated-high-school-students-vs-

dropouts-1483.htm

Puzzanchera, Charles.(2003), Juvenile Court Statistics, U.S.

Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile

12

Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Published in Laurel, MD

Retrieved From:

https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/193696.pdf

United States Census Bureau, Criminal Justice Statistics, Juvenile

Population Statistics, office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency

Prevention Retrieved From: http://www.census.gov/govs/cj/

13