IQ AND DELINQUENCY - A TEST OF 2 COMPETING EXPLANATIONS

In the past, sociologists either dismissed ot ignored the well-establi shed empirical relationship between IQ and juvenile delinquency. More recently, however, they have come to accept the IQ/JD connection but n ow debate the most valid explanation for it. Some have advanced what w e characterized as a ''school performance'' model, while others adhere to what may be called a ''school reaction'' model. The major bone of contention between the competing models is over the school variables t hought to mediate the IQ/JD relationship. In this study, we specified the most dominant versions of the competing models as well as a model integrating the concepts of each. Using three waves of data from the Y outh in Transition project, we first estimated parameters for each of the competing models and then parameters for the integrated model, Con sidered independently, each model was supported by the data. However, when each of the separate models was forced to take into account the e xplanatory contribution of its competitor, only the school performance model was supported. Implications of the findings for schooling and d elinquency are discussed.