HIGHER EDUCATION AND CRIMINAL OFFENDING OVER THE LIFE COURSE

    Authors

    J. A. Ford;R. D. Schroeder

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Sociol. Spectr.

    Keywords

    ILLICIT DRUG-USE; SOCIAL SUPPORT; POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION; SEXUAL-BEHAVIOR; EARLY ADULTHOOD; HIGH-SCHOOL; DESISTANCE; CRIME; DELINQUENCY; MARRIAGE; Sociology

    Abstract

    Educational attainment and school bonding are established predictors of delinquent behavior. In spite of an abundance of research on the relationship between education and delinquency, there is little research that examines the impact of education on stability and change in criminal offending over the life course. This dearth of research is surprising given the increasing significance of post-secondary education in contemporary society and the prominence of the life course approach in the study of crime. The current study uses seven waves of data from the National Youth Survey to examine the impact of higher education on criminal offending over the life course. Findings indicate that college attendance and investment in higher education are negatively associated with criminal offending in adulthood. In addition, the protective effect of higher education is stronger for individuals who were more delinquent during adolescence. Study limitations and future research needs are discussed.

    Journal Title

    Sociological Spectrum

    Volume

    31

    Issue/Number

    1

    Publication Date

    1-1-2011

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    32

    Last Page

    58

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000285061100002

    ISSN

    0273-2173

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