Given the close association of academic achievement not only to delinquency, but also to recidivism, further examination of this variable is warranted. We examined the records of 505 delinquent males committed to a state correctional facility during a recent 7-year period (1991-1997 inclusive). For each of the 7 years, three groups were identified: one group receiving remediation in math, one group receiving remediation in reading, and one group receiving no remediation. Results indicated that members of the remedial groups were twice as likely to be recidivists or parole violators as members of the nonremedial group. Factors predictive of membership in the remedial groups included verbal IQ, race, and age of first commitment.

Reports to Congress on the Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to assess patterns and trends in the educational placement of students with emotional or behavioral disorders (E/BD), as well as their means of school exit and the relationship between educational placement and school exit. The data indicate an increasing trend in educating students with E/BD in general education classrooms that mirrors a similar increase for all students with disabilities, although the overall rate of general class placement remains lower for students with E/BD (27%) than for students with other disabilities (50%). The link between placement and graduation or dropout rates was also explored, but these relationships are interpreted with extreme caution given that they are aggregations of state-level data. Suggestions are offered for future research and analysis of placement and exit patterns of students with E/BD.

Given the close association of academic achievement with delinquency and recidivism, further examination of the relationship between these variables is warranted. This study examined the records of 549 delinquent males committed to the Youth Rehabilitation and Treatment Center in Kearney, Nebraska (a state correctional facility), who received general equivalency diplomas (GEDs) while incarcerated and those whose academic achievement was assessed (Woodcock Johnson Psychoeducational Battery-Revised/Tests of Achievement [WJ-ACH] pretest and posttest scores [Woodcock & Johnson, 1989]) from 1990 through 1996. Findings were consistent with previous research showing that the age of the offender at first offense and first commitment differentiated recidivists from nonrecidivists. Additional discriminant factors included pretest WJ-ACH scores in reading, writing, math, and skills; improvement in academic achievement in writing and skills; and GED performance in science and math, location of residence, and ethnic origin.