Educational pathways and change in crime between adolescence and early adulthood

Citation

Swisher, Raymond R. & Dennison, Christopher R. (2016). Educational pathways and change in crime between adolescence and early adulthood. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency. vol. 53 (6) pp. 840-871

Abstract

Objectives: This article examines the relationship between intergenerational educational pathways and change in crime. Moreover, it examines the potential mediating roles of family and employment transitions, economic stressors, and social psychological factors. Method: Data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (N = 14,742) and negative binomial models are used to assess associations between educational pathways (i.e., upward, downward, and stable) and change in crime between adolescence and early adulthood. Selection effects are assessed with lagged dependent variables and controls for self-control, grades, and the Add Health Picture Vocabulary Test. Results: Intergenerational educational pathways are significantly associated with changes in crime. Downward educational pathways were predictive of increases in crime, whereas upward pathways were associated with decreases in crime. These associations were partly mediated by family transitions, and more strongly by economic stressors. These results were robust to controls for selection related variables. Conclusions: This study is among the first to examine the relationship between intergenerational educational pathways and crime in the United States. Both upward and downward changes in educational attainments were found to be significant for crime. These findings are notable given the continuing expansion of higher education as well as concerns regarding increasing stratification and downward mobility in the United States.

URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1177%2F0022427816645380

Keyword(s)

education

Notes

Swisher, Raymond R. Dennison, Christopher R.

Reference Type

Journal Article

Journal Title

Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency

Author(s)

Swisher, Raymond R.
Dennison, Christopher R.

Year Published

2016

Volume Number

53

Issue Number

6

Pages

840-871

Edition

May 4, 2016

DOI

10.1177/0022427816645380

NIHMSID

NIHMS818151

Reference ID

8020