Numerous studies have shown that participation in after-school programs has been positively linked with improved student behavior.  Research suggests that involvement in engaging programs:

• Increases overall academic achievement
• A study of 64 after-school programs by the University of Wisconsin showed that student in the program were more responsive in class, more interested in reading and were performing better on tests (Chung & Hillsman, 2005, Gottfredson, 2005)

• Provides teens with mentors and positive peer groups, instilling positive values in teens encouraging positive self-esteem
  
• Such issues are ignored in conventional classrooms (Christenson, et al., 2000)
  
• A lack of guidance and adult supervision at home further compounds the issue (Cosden et al., 2004)
• A study of the Big Brother/Sister after-school program that children assigned to well-trained mentors were 32% less likely to commit a crime and 46% less likely to start drug use (Christenson et al., 2000)

• Reduces juvenile delinquency
• A study of a Police Activity League (PAL) after-school program in Baltimore showed that crime committed by youth dropped almost 10% during the three-year period that Baltimore Police Department operated (PAL) (Christenson et al., 2000)
• Another study of a skill-development after-school program (SDP) in a Canadian showed that the number of juvenile arrests declined by 75% during the 32 months that SDP was running (Christenson et al., 2000)

 Further, a study conducted by Professor Cohen of Vanderbilt University estimates that the U.S. saves between $1.7 and $2.3 million for each at-risk youth prevented from choosing a life of crime (Bratton, et al., 2000).