Dropout or Delinquent: An Ecological Analysis of High School Attrition Rates the Correlation to Criminal Behavior

The high school student attrition rate in the United States is unexpectedly high. The purpose of this research is to demonstrate a correlation between high school non-completion and criminal arrest rates in order to establish the importance of improving public school systems in this country. In this study, I analyze dropout rates, crime rates, and demographic differences through an ecological study of the United States. States with high dropout rates also have high overall arrest rates, families living in poverty, and are more religious. These factors are particularly present across the Southern United States and within the Midwest states, particularly those with large amounts of Indian Reservations. I explore how these factors may be interconnected with dropout rates and offer explanations for these relationships.