| NCJ Number: |
181884   |
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| Title: |
Abolish Chronic Truancy (ACT) Now Diversion Program: Evaluation Report |
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| Document: |
PDF |
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| Project Director: |
Jane N. Sigmon |
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| Date Published: |
1999 |
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| Annotation: |
This report presents the methodology and findings of an
evaluation of the program Abolish Chronic Truancy (ACT), a Pima
County (Arizona) comprehensive diversion program to get truant
youth back into school by providing needed services and holding
their parents or legal guardians accountable for their children's
school attendance.
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| Abstract: |
ACT now consists of three key elements. One element is the
enforcement of a mandatory State school attendance law by holding
parents accountable for ensuring that their children attend
school. A second element is a diversion program that offers
services to youth and their parents to address the root causes of
the truancy. The third element involves sanctions for parents and
youth for continued truancy or for those who fail to successfully
complete the diversion program. The evaluation found that the ACT
Now Program has developed into a community-wide "institutionalized" response to truancy. The program is viewed by
the schools, law enforcement, the Pima County Attorney's Office,
service providers, and the local media as an integral part of the
community's efforts to address truancy and associated problems
that put youth at high risk for serious delinquent involvement.
In all of the school districts in the sample, there has been a
decrease in the number of reported truancies since the full
implementation of the program in the 1996-97 school year.
Similarly, there have been decreases in the number of school
dropouts in two districts. This report identifies and discusses
the factors found to be associated with the successful
implementation of the program. Two shortcomings were observed in
the program's implementation. First, there is not adequate
feedback to the schools regarding the youth they refer to the
program. Second, the program lacks a comprehensive database to
track referrals, services, and recidivism. Extensive exhibits, 33
references, and appended supplementary materials and
data-collection instruments
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| Main Term(s): |
Juvenile delinquency prevention programs |
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| Index Term(s): |
Arizona; Effectiveness of crime prevention programs; Juvenile status offenses; School delinquency programs; Truancy |
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| Grant Number: |
96-JN-FX-0010 |
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| Sponsoring Agency: |
American Prosecutors Research Institute
Alexandria, VA 22314
NCJRS Photocopy Services
Rockville, MD 20849-6000
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP)
Washington, DC 20531 |
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| Corporate Author: |
American Prosecutors Research Institute
United States of America |
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| Sale Source: |
NCJRS Photocopy Services
Box 6000
Rockville, MD 20849-6000
United States of America
American Prosecutors Research Institute
99 Canal Center. Plaza
Suite 510
Alexandria, VA 22314
United States of America |
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| Page Count: |
186 |
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| Format: |
Document |
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| Type: |
Program/Project Evaluation |
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| Language: |
English |
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| Country: |
United States of America |
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To cite this abstract, use the following link:
http://www.ncjrs.gov/App/publications/abstract.aspx?ID=181884 |
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