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American Youth Struggle with Honesty and Ethics Print E-mail

Source:  The Josephson Institute

integrity_roadsign_id509510_size1.jpgThe 2008 Report Card on the Ethics of American Youth reveals alarming habits of America's Youth.  The Josephson Institute on Ethics interviewed nearly 30,000 high school students and identified the following trends:

STEALING -  More than one in three boys (35 percent) and one-fourth of girls (26 percent) admitted to stealing from a store in the past year. The total overall theft rate of 30 increased from the 2006 rate of 28 percent.

LYING - 42 percent of those students surveyed indicated they sometimes lie to save money.  (49 percent of males.  31 percent of females.)   This is up three percent from the 2006 total of 39 percent.  Of even greater concern is the fact that 83 percent of the students admitted they lied to their parents about something significant.

CHEATING -  Cheating in schools is increasing at an alarming rate.  64 percent of students indicated they have cheated on a test during the past year.  (38 percent did so two or more times)  This is up four percent from 60 percent in the 2006 report.

The Report Card also states that the results understate the level of dishonesty.     friends_standing.jpg More than one in four of the students who took the survey reported they lied on at least one or two questions on the survey!

And most interesting is the fact that the students who took the survey have a high self-image related to ethics.  93 percent said they were satisfied with their personal ethics and character and 77 percent said that "When it comes to doing what is right, I am better than most people I know."

The Josephson Institute on Ethics conducts a national survey on the ethics of American youth every two years. Click here to read the full report.