Citation

Thompson KM. J. Stud. Alcohol 2007; 68(5): 689-696.

Affiliation

Department of Criminal Justice and Political Science, North Dakota State University, 1616 12th Avenue North, Fargo, North Dakota 58105.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, Rutgers Center of Alcohol Studies)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

17690802

Abstract

Objective: The present study employed municipal alcohol-related arrest reports to determine if being arrested/cited reduced the probability of academic retention. Method: Alcohol-related legal infraction data implicating 1,310 college students was gathered during a 4-year period. First- through third-year students were identified in the database by cross-checking names in the campus directory. A random sample of nonarrested students functioned as the comparison group (n = 856). Students not appearing in the directory the following year were defined as nonretained students. Results: Retention was not affected by the experience of one alcohol-related legal infraction. Retention odds were 31% lower for students experiencing multiple arrests, however, than for nonarrested or single-arrested students. Gender moderated the association between arrest and retention, with women who had been arrested more likely to return to school than those who had not been arrested. Retention odds were higher for arrested/cited students if they were in their second or third year of college, a fraternity/sorority member, or charged with an offense other than driving under the influence. Conclusions: Multi-arrested college students are at risk for attrition. Immersion in college life may reduce the odds of attrition among arrested college students.

Language: en