title: Age differences in the impact of employment on antisocial behavior.
abstract: While research suggests that working more than 20 hr weekly is associated with greater antisocial behavior among middle- and upper-class youth, some have argued that employment benefits at-risk youth and leads to desistance from crime among youthful offenders. This study investigates the relation between hours worked, school attendance, and employment characteristics on antisocial behavior in a sample of approximately 1,300 juvenile offenders (ages 14-17 at baseline) tracked over 5 years. The combinations of high-intensity employment and irregular school attendance, unemployment and irregular school attendance, and unemployment and not being enrolled in school are associated with significantly greater antisocial behavior, particularly during early adolescence. High-intensity employment diminishes antisocial behavior only when accompanied by attending school.
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA. monahan@pitt.edu
authors.forename: Kathryn C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Monahan
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Steinberg
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cauffman
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001130:Arizona / Q000453:epidemiology; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015143:Philadelphia / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012574:Schools / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012919:Social Behavior; D012923:Social Class; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult