Examining the relationship between student perceptions of school climate and self-reported general delinquency

Abstract

This study examines the association between perceived school climate and self-reported youth offending among adolescents in Queensland, Australia. Drawing on social control theory, we investigate whether students’ perceptions of fairness, support, and respect within their school environment are linked to lower levels of delinquent behaviour. Using previously collected survey data from 540 Year 9 students and using Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression analysis, we find that more positive perceptions of school climate are significantly associated with lower youth offending scores, even after accounting for gender, cultural background, family structure, parental employment, and family attachment. The strength of the school climate-youth offending association compares in magnitude to other strong predictors of youth crime such as gender. Attachment to both mother and father also emerged as strong independent correlates of youth offending and partially attenuated the school climate/youth offending association, suggesting overlapping influences. These findings contribute to a growing body of research identifying school climate as a modifiable context for youth development. While the cross-sectional nature of the data limits causal inference, the results underscore the importance of school and family environments in shaping adolescent behaviour. Implications for theory and educational policy are discussed.