The book presents the results of a study that examined whether school drop-out rates were affected by drug use and delinquency, and whether the drop-out rates differed for students from different socioeconomic backgrounds. The study findings suggest that while drug use and delinquency are associated with dropping out of school, they do not actually lead to students dropping out of school. The study and its findings are presented in five chapters in this book. Chapter 1 presents an overview of the interaction between drug use, delinquency, and dropping out of school. Chapter 2 discusses the primary causes for dropping out of school. The traditional view of researchers is that drug use and delinquency cause dropping out of school, while an alternative view holds that drug use, delinquency, and dropping out of school are all symptoms of much larger problems in a youth's life. Chapter 3 discusses the study methodology, its variables, and the analyses. Data for the study were obtained from the 1997 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. Chapter 4 presents the results of the study, namely that delinquency does not always lead to dropping out and that other factors are often present that enhance or negate the possibility of a youth dropping out of school. Chapter 5 presents a discussion on the development of a theory of precocious development. This theory holds that delinquency and drug use present youth with the opportunity for a more adult lifestyle and that youth drop out of school in order to grow up quickly and pursue an adult lifestyle. Implications for policy development and future research are discussed. Tables, figures, notes, appendix, references, and index