THE CONCEPT OF DRIFT HAS TO DO WITH A YOUTH'S GENERAL FEELING THAT THE WORLD IS NOT RIGHT IN ITS DEALINGS WITH HIM. THE DRIFT THEORY HOLDS THAT YOUTHS ARE PRONE TO FEELINGS OF INJUSTICE, NEUTRALIZATION, PREPARATION, AND DESPERATION. ALTHOUGH NO ONE CHARACTERISTIC OF THE POTENTIAL DELINQUENT IS SUFFICIENT TO RESULT IN DELINQUENCY, EACH CHARACTERISTIC IS NECESSARY TO THE COMMISSION OF DELINQUENT ACTS. THE DRIFT THEORY EXPLAINS UPPER- AND LOWER-CLASS DELINQUENCY, URBAN AND RURAL DELINQUENCY, WHY DELINQUENTS ARE NOT DELINQUENT ALL OF THE TIME, AND WHY NONDELINQUENTS ARE DELINQUENTS SOME OF THE TIME. SCHOOLS VIEW CERTAIN PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOR AS ACCEPTABLE AND DESIRABLE. CHILDREN WHO COME FROM HOMES AND POSSESS CHARACTERISTICS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE GENERAL SOCIETY FIND IT EASY TO CONFORM TO SCHOOL RULES. HOWEVER, CHILDREN FROM CROWDED AND NOISY ENVIRONMENTS ARE VIEWED AS DISRUPTIVE IN SCHOOL FOR ENGAGING IN BEHAVIOR CONSIDERED NORMAL FOR THEM OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL. IT IS CONTENDED THAT THIS DISCREPANCY IN EXPECTATIONS INCREASES THE POTENTIALITY FOR DRIFT IN SUCH YOUTHS. EVIDENCE THAT SCHOOLS CAN CREATE THEIR OWN INTERNAL VIOLENCE, DELINQUENCY, AND VANDALISM IS CITED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LKM)