DROPOUT AND DELINQUENCY - MEXICAN-AMERICAN AND CAUCASIAN NON-HISPANICYOUTH

Examined delinquent behavior among Mexican-American (MA) and Caucasian non-Hispanic (CnH) dropouts, students with academic problems, and con trol students. Dropouts and student with poor grades were much more li kely to engage in delinquent behaviors. The highest rates of delinquen cy were reported by males. Mexican-American youth in any of the academ ic status groups were slightly less likely to engage in delinquent beh aviors as compared to CnH youth, but overall rates of delinquency for MA youth may be higher due to their higher dropout rate. It was also f ound that peers of dropouts and academic problem students were more li kely to engage in delinquent behaviors than peers of control students.