Title

HIGHER EDUCATION AND CRIMINAL OFFENDING OVER THE LIFE COURSE

Authors

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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