Of fists and fangs: An exploration of the degree to which the Graduation Hypothesis predicts future adolescent delinquency and aggression

Prior limited research has focused on the Graduation Hypothesis and its ability to predict future behavior. The recent growth in the number of juvenile arrests in the United States for violent offenses creates a need to be vigilant of childhood behaviors that could escalate into more violent behavior. The present research, utilizing secondary data from the Project on Housing Development in Chicago Neighborhoods(PHDCN)longitudinal study, focused on the degree to which the Graduation Hypothesis could predict adolescent delinquency and aggression based on the commission of childhood animal cruelty, hyperactivity, bed wetting, delinquency, aggression, alcohol/drug usage, and poor school work. This research revealed information on the children and their families in the PHDCN with regard to several significant relationships between childhood behavior and adolescent delinquency and aggression. These findings provide some insight on childhood behaviors and familial situations which could lead to future delinquency and aggression.