Truancy Reduction Program

Truancy is referred to as the “first step to a lifetime of problems” for youth (Garry, 1996). Students who are truants have a higher risk than nontruant students of involvement in drug and alcohol use, violence and gang activity (U.S Department of Education and U.S Department of Justice, 1996). It is also one of the warning signs that youth are headed for other delinquent activity, social isolation or educational failure (OJJDP Model Program Guide: Truancy Prevention).

Youth who are not at school are often involved in delinquent activity, such as shoplifting, vandalism, and graffiti. In 1996 in San Diego, California, 44 percent of violent juvenile crime occurred between 8:30 and 1:30 pm. (USDE and USDOJ 1996).Disengaging from school leads not only to academic failure and the resultant reduced employment capacity, but also to involvement with antisocial and deviant peer groups, greater risk for delinquent activity, and lowered self esteem and an inability to survive in an increasing competitive world.

There is too much to lose, for not only the youth, but society as well, if that youth does not complete their education, disengages from school, and as a result becomes disenfranchised from active functional participation in the community and instead   engages in delinquent or further criminal conduct.

A student who is a repeat truant is actually at one of the most critical junctions in their lives. They are, whether they are aware of it or not, deciding whether to stay on track in school, or give up. 

We, as a civilized, educated and compassionate society, must not allow a youth to disengage from school. We must not give up on our youth and must firmly, yet encouragingly help them stay on course. The repeat truant student must be compelled with all of our resources, programs, services, and personnel to stay in school, stay engaged in school, and move forward in their lives.

Paying to help a youth at the earlier stages of truancy may be costly, but not nearly as costly as if the youth is not redirected and becomes an unemployable or severely underemployed adult, a repeat criminal offender, incarcerated, or burden to their families and communities. Costs of truancy to society are not reserved to the loss of funding for schools for unexcused absences. The financial impact of truancy and dropouts that result are measured in four ways:

• A less educated workforce
• Business loss due to youth who “hang out”, shoplift, or do both during the day
• Higher daytime crime rates
• Cost of social services for family services for habitual truants

In addition, truancy leads to a loss of federal and state educational funding (Baker, Sigmon, and Nugent, 2001)

When young people are truant from school, they are telling their parents, their school and the community that they are in trouble. (USDE and USDOJ, 1996) We, as schools, law enforcement, social service agencies and community partners, need to listen and address the reasons for truancy with our best resources, programs and services.

For more information on truancy reduction and dropout prevention programs for your school or school district, please a contact Juvenile Consulting Services, LLC at (949) 395-1085.