Study: More teens cheat,
lie, steal
Rate of teen dishonesty is alarming
Last Edited: Monday, 01 Dec 2008, 8:23 PM EST
Created On: Monday, 01 Dec 2008, 6:47 PM EST

Veronica Cintron
CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) - For more young people, always doing their own work in school and always telling the truth might be a thing of the past.

The Josephson Institute released its annual report card on the ethics of American youth.

In a survey of nearly 30,000 teens, over 30 percent admitted to stealing from a store within the past year. Fourty-two percent said they lied to save money and 64 percent admitted to cheating on a test.

Some Chicopee High School students told 22News it happens more than you think.

"There are definitely kids that are slacking, don't do their work. They're like, 'can I copy?' And other kids feel bad," said Jeffrey Pula, a junior at Chicopee High School.

As for the reasons behind the dishonest behavior in some of their peers, these teens point to added pressures, laziness, and the need for some to show off.

Despite the high levels of dishonesty, respondents in this survey felt that they often do what's right. A whopping 93 percent said they were satisfied with their personal ethics and character.