School Class Homogeneity, Bonding to School, and Juvenile Delinquency/Victimization: Results of the ISRD-3 in Switzerland

• In Event: Delinquency, Deviance, and Victimization among Students in the United States and Switzerland

Abstract

Perception of school situation as well as student's delinquency and victimization vary among Swiss school classes, depending on their homogeneity as measured by the Herfindahl index of students' migration background. We found that students from classes (7-9th grades) with high heterogeneity have weaker bonding to school; the crime situation in such schools is much higher. Classes with higher homogeneity demonstrate by trend a lower prevalence rate of delinquency and victimization. These effects remain after statistical controls for gender and school grade. These results and explanation strategies are discussed.

Authors

• Olga Siegmunt, HafenCity University, Hamburg, Germany

• Anastasiia Monnet-Lukash, University of St. Gallen, Switzerland

• Martin Killias, University of St. Gallen Switzerland