Impacts of the Four-Day School Week on Juvenile Crime
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| Title: | Impacts of the Four-Day School Week on Juvenile Crime |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Rafiuddin Najam (ORCID |
| Source: | Journal of Policy Analysis and Management. 2026 45(2). |
| Availability: | Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 13 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: | Working Hours, School Schedules, Juvenile Justice, Crime, Incidence, Law Enforcement, Rural Urban Differences, Drug Use, Drinking, Outcomes of Education |
| DOI: | 10.1002/pam.70101 |
| ISSN: | 0276-8739 1520-6688 |
| Abstract: | Schools are increasingly adopting four-day school weeks to address financial, attendance, and teacher retention issues, a trend that the COVID-19 pandemic has amplified. However, little is known about the nonacademic behavioral responses of juveniles to such transitions. We examine the impacts of adopting a four-day school week on juvenile crime, focusing particularly on disparities across rurality and locale size, using a difference-in-differences estimation approach. We find significant upticks in juvenile crime, primarily in property and violent crimes, within non-rural and large law enforcement agencies. Conversely, we find evidence suggesting a decrease in juvenile drug- and alcohol-related crimes during school hours on weekdays. In addition to changes in juvenile crime on nonschool weekdays, we observe spillover effects on the remaining weekdays and weekends, primarily in non-rural and large agency settings. Thus, decision-makers should be cognizant of the potential increase in juvenile crime that may result from the four-day school week. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Notes: | https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/IM0XZI |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1500990 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Schools are increasingly adopting four-day school weeks to address financial, attendance, and teacher retention issues, a trend that the COVID-19 pandemic has amplified. However, little is known about the nonacademic behavioral responses of juveniles to such transitions. We examine the impacts of adopting a four-day school week on juvenile crime, focusing particularly on disparities across rurality and locale size, using a difference-in-differences estimation approach. We find significant upticks in juvenile crime, primarily in property and violent crimes, within non-rural and large law enforcement agencies. Conversely, we find evidence suggesting a decrease in juvenile drug- and alcohol-related crimes during school hours on weekdays. In addition to changes in juvenile crime on nonschool weekdays, we observe spillover effects on the remaining weekdays and weekends, primarily in non-rural and large agency settings. Thus, decision-makers should be cognizant of the potential increase in juvenile crime that may result from the four-day school week. |
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| ISSN: | 0276-8739 1520-6688 |
| DOI: | 10.1002/pam.70101 |
