Effects of After-School Programs on Delinquency: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

• In Event: Evidence-Based Crime Policy II

Abstract

After-school programs rose to prominence in the late 1980s in the U.S., built upon the concern about “latch-key” children facing after-school self-care while parents finished the work day. The programs were touted as a way to address the unsupervised time of youth, and provide extended time for academic enhancement. Though programs vary by type, size, and focus, many serve a similar purpose of increasing the amount of time students are supervised, providing shelter from unsafe neighborhoods, and reducing the amount of time youth spend socializing with delinquent peers. In doing so, after-school programs target a number of risk factors for delinquency, and may be beneficial in reducing delinquent behavior among participating children and youths. This paper reports on the final results of a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of after-school programs on delinquency. Following the comprehensive search strategies recommended by the Campbell Collaboration, a total of 18 studies were identified that met the inclusion criteria. Pooled analysis suggests that after-school programs have a null effect on delinquency. Moderator analyses focused on intervention type (academic, recreation, or skills training), whether or not programs employed a secondary intervention, intervention context (community or school), risk level (high or mixed) and grade level (kindergarten to 8th grade, high school, or mixed) of the targeted youth, and duration of the intervention, and indicated several significant effects. Implications for policy are discussed.

Authors

• Brandon C. Welsh, Northeastern University

• Sema A. Taheri, Northeastern University