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America's Truancy Problem

NCJ Number
160453
Date Published
Unknown
Length
23 pages
Annotation
After reviewing research findings on the scope, nature, and costs of truancy in the United States, this paper presents the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention's (OJJDP's) Action Plan for addressing the problem nationwide.
Abstract
Although there are no national statistics on truancy rates, a number of studies of truancy rates in large cities show that it is a significant problem. Truancy rates in turn translate into student drop-out rates; a 1992 study by the National Center on Educational Statistics found that approximately 383,000 students (4.4 percent of all high school students) between 15 and 24 years old dropped out of grades 10-12. The financial impact of truancy, although significant for the individual involved in creating limited earnings potential, is also a sizable expense for the community and the Nation, as it impacts welfare budgets and the costs of crime, which drop-outs are at increased risk of committing. The Action Plan proposed by OJJDP focuses on early intervention and coordination between schools, social service agencies, and the juvenile justice system (police, juvenile courts, and prosecutors). OJJDP's recommendation includes Federal, State, local, and Department of Justice/OJJDP participation in the development of comprehensive community-based action plans to counter truancy. It proposes a focused collaboration that can be implemented by any community. 20 references, 55 notes, and 5 figures