It is not difficult to see that schools influence children's behaviour outside as well as inside the school, particularly in relation to delinquency. The age an individual leaves school, their attendance, whether they have been excluded and the qualifications they gain are all differentially associated with offending. And who they are Empirical work has shown that a number of individual characteristics are associated with offending. For example, crimes rates are higher for non-whites than for white people. Marriage has also been found to discourage involvement in crime.
Delinquents disproportionately come from lower class and low income families.
Their parents, if in employment, tend to be in low paid manual jobs. Delinquents are also more likely to have convicted parents or delinquent older siblings. Several studies have examined the link between the labour market and crime. Although there is as yet no consensus, many found that, at least to some extent, crime is related to unemployment, inequality and low wages. When all these factors are taken into account, the crime-age profiles are indeed substantially altered.