Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: This research intended to assess how several protective and risk factors affect delinquency among public-school students. The factors were measured at both the individual level and school level. The two types of data were obtained by the Substance Abuse Services Division of the Alabama Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation. Evaluated with hierarchical linear modeling techniques (HLM), the data demonstrated that, at both levels, the protective factors reduced the delinquent behavior of sixth- to twelfth-graders. Implications for development of protective environments within public schools, as well as at the individual level, are raised.