The impact of after‐school programs on the routine activities of middle‐school students: Results from a randomized, controlled trial*
Abstract
Research Summary Unsupervised after‐school time for adolescents is a concern for parents and policymakers alike. Evidence linking unsupervised adolescent socializing to problem behavior outcomes heightens this concern among criminologists. Routine activities theory suggests that, when youth peer groups congregate away from adult authority, both opportunity for and motivation to engage in deviant acts increase. After‐school programs are a possible solution to unsupervised teen socializing during afternoon hours and are much in demand. However, empirical research has yet to test the relationship between the availability of after‐school programs and youth routine activities. This study presents evidence from a multisite, randomized, controlled trial of an after‐school program for middle‐school students in an urban school district. Policy Implications Youth in the treatment group engaged in less unsupervised socializing after school than youth in the control group but not as much less as would be expected if the after‐school program was providing consistent supervision to youth who would otherwise be unsupervised. Additional analyses examined why the influence of the after‐school program was not more pronounced. We found that, although program attendance was related to decreases in unsupervised socializing, the program did not attract many delinquency‐prone youths who were unsupervised, which suggests that the students most in need of the program did not benefit. Furthermore, data obtained from a mid‐year activity survey revealed that youth in the study were highly engaged in a variety of after‐school activities. The addition of the after‐school program into the mixture of available activities had little effect on the frequency with which students participated in organized activities after school.
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After-school programs can reduce delinquency by providing adult supervision and structured activities.
“By providing adult supervision and structured activities, after-school programs have the potential to reduce delinquency (Cross et al. 2009, p. 394).”
From Effects of after-school programs with at-risk youth on attendance and externalizing behaviors: A systematic review and meta-analysis (2015) · cites this paper as Cross et al. 2009
The potential for after-school programs to positively affect externalizing behavior through increased supervision is more complicated than expected.
“(Cross et al. 2009) noted, however, that the potential for after-school programs to impact externalizing behavior positively through increased supervision is more complicated than one might expect.”
From Effects of after-school programs with at-risk youth on attendance and externalizing behaviors: A systematic review and meta-analysis (2015) · cites this paper as Cross et al. 2009
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- Authors
- Cross, A. B., Gottfredson, D. C., Wilson, D. M., Rorie, M., & Connell, N.
- Affiliations
- University of Maryland, College Park (US)
- Rowan University (US)
- Venue
- Criminology & Public Policy
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2009-05
- Volume
- 8
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 391-412
- ISSN
- 1538-6473 (ISSN-L)
- 1745-9133
- OpenAlex
- W2089524032
- Cited by
- 42
- References
- 37
- Citations by year
- 2025: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 10.83
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Criminology & Public Policy (publishedVersion)
- Griffith Research Online (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Crime Patterns and Interventions
- Social Sciences › Safety Research › Youth Development and Social Support
- Social Sciences › Urban Studies › Night-time city culture
- Keywords
- after-school programs, routine activity theory, junior high school students, juvenile delinquency, after-school activities, urban schools, program attendance
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