Early Childhood Intervention and Juvenile Delinquency: An Exploratory Analysis of the Chicago Child-Parent Centers

• NCJ Number: 176134
• Journal: Evaluation Review Volume: 22 Issue: 3 Dated: June 1998 Pages: 341-372
• Author(s): A J Reynolds; H Chang; J A Temple
• Date Published: 1998
• Length: 32 pages
• Grant Number(s): HD34294; 306F60055
• Sponsoring Agency: Spencer Foundation; National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article reports on a study investigating the link between early childhood intervention and indicators of juvenile delinquency during ages 13 to 16.

Abstract

The study investigated the relation between participation in the Child-Parent Center and Expansion Program during preschool to third grade and measures of adolescent delinquency for low-income, mostly black youths in the Chicago Longitudinal Study. Based on analyses of 1,262 program and comparison-group children, duration of program participation (0 to 6 years) and extensive participation in the program were significantly associated with lower rates of school-reported delinquency infractions at ages 13 and 14. Extended program participation was only marginally associated with a lower rate of delinquency infractions over ages 12 to 16. Preschool participation alone had no systematic relation with delinquency but was marginally associated with delinquency reports at ages 15 and 16. Reduction in school-reported delinquency was a consequence of less frequent school mobility and postprogram parent involvement in school. Tables, figures, notes, references