NCJ Number
139808
Date Published
1990
Length
57 pages
Annotation
The sampling plan for the Rochester, New York, Youth Development Study is described as it incorporates variations in class, race, and other demographic characteristics associated with juvenile delinquency and serious, chronic delinquents.
Abstract
The sample included 7th and 8th grade students enrolled in the Rochester public school system. To identify high crime areas, each census tract in Rochester was assigned a resident arrest rate (RAR) based on 1986 police data. The probability of an individual's inclusion in the sample was proportionate to the RAR of his or her residential area. Once the target sample was identified, letters were sent to all selected children and their parents. Cash payments of $10 per interview were offered to parents in order to encourage participation and continuance in the study. A beginning sample of 1,334 potential subjects was selected. Of this number, parents could not be located in 42 cases and an additional 248 parents refused to participate. The final sample contained 987 student households, 74 percent of the targeted sample. More than 77 percent of the sample self-reported some type of delinquency; 55 percent reported status offenses. Almost half the sample reported involvement in offenses against the person (47 percent) or against property (42 percent). The prevalence of illegal drug use was relatively low; only 12 percent reported they had ever used drugs. The sampling plan for the Rochester Youth Development Study provides a panel that over-represents adolescents at high risk for delinquency but yields a sample that can be generalized to the school population. Appendixes contain additional information on the sample and study procedures, as well as study forms. 11 references, 5 tables, and 2 figures