School, community context, and delinquency: Rethinking the gender gap

Abstract

This study examines the role of gender and of community context in the relationship between school factors and delinquent behavior, otherwise termed here “the school-delinquency gender gap.” Control theory (Hirschi 1969) and power-control theory (Hagan, Simpson, and Gillis 1985) were employed as conceptual frameworks. Data used were drawn in part from the Seattle Youth Study, which included self-reported measures of school experiences and delinquent behavior for 1,508 high school students. Findings revealed significant reductions in delinquent behavior tied to positive outlooks on and performances in school-related activities. In addition, several school measures were discovered to affect differentially the delinquent behavior of males and of females. The importance of community context as an interacting variable in the school-delinquency relationship also was discovered. Conclusions support a power-control interpretation of school-based gender differences in delinquent behavior.