CATEGORIES OF TRUANCY

Correlates of Truancy

Preliminary findings from OJJDP's evalua-tion of TRDP confirm previous findings that, in general, the correlates of truancy fall into four broad categories:

• Family factors. These include lack of guidance or parental supervision, domestic violence, poverty, drug or alcohol abuse in the home, lack of awareness of attendance laws, and differing attitudes toward education.

• School factors. These include school climate issuessuch as school size and attitudes of teachers, other students, and administratorsand inflexibility in meeting the diverse cultural and learn-ing styles of the students. Schools often have inconsistent procedures in place for dealing with chronic absenteeism and may not have meaningful conse-quences available for truant youth (e.g., out-of-school suspension).

• Economic influences. These include employed students, single-parent homes, high mobility rates, parents who hold multiple jobs, and a lack of affordable transportation and childcare.

• Student variables. These include drug and alcohol abuse, lack of understand-ing of attendance laws, lack of social competence, mental health difficulties, and poor physical health.

SOURCE:

 

Baker, M. L., Sigmon, J. N., & Nugent, M. E. (2001). Truancy Reduction: Keeping Students in School. Juvenile Justice Bulletin.