Recurring interviews with a large sample of young people suggest that attachment to the formal labor market often begins at an early age: 41 percent of high school freshmen and 87 percent of seniors worked during the school year or the summer. Many working students were employed during both the school year and the summer. Employment activity differed by gender and race/ethnicity.

These facts are from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 (NLSY97). Sponsored by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, NLSY97 interviewed a panel of about 9,000 youth during 1997-2003, gathering information on employment experiences, schooling, family background, social behavior, and other characteristics.

The Compendium of National Juvenile Justice Data Sets in OJJDP's Statistical Briefing Book provides detailed information on NLSY97 and seven other major sources of data on juveniles.