NCJ Number
213491
Journal
Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice Volume: 4 Issue: 2 Dated: April 2006 Pages: 204-212
Date Published
April 2006
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This study investigated the relationship between truancy and reasons for truancy at school grade transition points from elementary to middle school and from middle school to high school.
Abstract
Overall, the results showed an increase in truancy at each transition point: there was a 95 percent increase in truancy between fifth and sixth grade and a 76 percent increase between eighth and ninth grade. Similarly, there was an 87 percent increase in truancy between the ages of 10 and 11 years and there was a 68 percent truancy increase between the ages of 13 and 14 years. Explanations for truancy at transition points involved feelings of vulnerability and fear of the unknown, such as “I didn’t feel like going” and “I missed the bus.” The findings suggest that truancy prevention programming should target youth beginning in the fifth grade and continue through the sixth grade. The programming should address the fears related to the transition to middle school. Data were drawn from a 3-year truancy reduction program in Wilmington, DE. Participants were 756 youth who were truant and brought to the truancy reduction program by the Wilmington Police Department. Data included information on demographics, grade level, school district, and the youth’s stated reason for the truancy. Figures, tables, references