NCJ Number
238158
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 40 Issue: 1 Dated: January/February 2012 Pages: 1-9
Date Published
February 2012
Length
9 pages
Annotation
Using data from the Education Longitudinal Study (ELS) of 2002 and incorporating multilevel modeling techniques, this study examined the interaction of gender, race, and ethnicity in influencing the link between school-based activities and the victimization of youth at school.
Abstract
Confirming the findings of two previous studies, the current study found that the risk of school-based victimization varied by gender, race, and ethnicity; and participation in school activities was related to a youth's risk of victimization. Further, the study determined that whether school activities were a protective or risk factor was influenced by the interaction of gender, race, and ethnicity. Specifically, the study found that racial and ethnic minority male involvement in school sports was linked to an increase in school-based victimization; however, White male involvement in school sports was associated with a decrease in school-based victimization. In contrast, school sports were apparently a protective factor against school-based victimization for girls regardless of their race or ethnicity. These findings suggest that researchers who examine factors in school violence should take into account students' gender, race, and ethnicity. Previous research has indicated that many of the anti-violence school policies do not consider the unique vulnerabilities that influence the victimization of marginalized populations at school. This study focused on a subsample of 10,440 youth (5,320 females and 5,120 males) involved in the ELS longitudinal survey for the 2001-2002 school year. The variables measured were victimization at school; school-based academic activities and sports; and gender, race, and ethnicity. 4 tables and 61 references