Evaluating the Impact of Crime and Discipline on Student Success in Postsecondary Education

The goal of this study is to evaluate the effect of crime and discipline on graduation rates in higher education. Using national data on more than 1250 public and private non-profit institutions that were drawn from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, the results reveal that more violence on and around campus is associated with lower 4-year graduation rates, whereas higher rates of disciplinary actions regarding alcohol, drugs, and weapons are associated with higher graduation rates. Furthermore, the findings suggest that utilizing the student conduct system rather than the criminal justice system to address minor offenses is more likely to lead to student success. This study contributes to the growing literature on college effectiveness and the influence of institutional structures and organizational policies on student achievement. The results of this study suggest that violent crime, institutional conduct systems, and campus police departments warrant further investigation.