PREVENTING STUDENT ABSENTEEISM

• NCJ Number: 55384
• Journal: CRIME PREVENTION REVIEW Volume: 6 Issue: 2 Dated: (JANUARY 1979) Pages: 31-36
• Author(s): T F FITZGERALD
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 6 pages
• Corporate Author: California Office of the Attorney General Crime Prevention Unit
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

AN OVERVIEW OF THE SCHOOL ABSENTEEISM PROBLEM IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CALIF., IS PRESENTED.

Abstract

EVIDENCE THAT ABSENTEEISM IS ASSOCIATED WITH DELINQUENCY, VANDALISM, AND CRIMINAL INVOLVEMENT IN ADULT LIFE IS NOTED. IT IS POINTED OUT THAT DAYTIME JUVENILE OFFENSE RATES DROP WHEN POLICE MAKE A SPECIAL EFFORT TO ROUND UP TRUANTS. DATA INDICATIVE OF THE HIGH LEVELS OF ABSENTEEISM IN LOS ANGELES AND OTHER COMMUNITIES ARE CITED. POSSIBLE CAUSES OF ABSENTEEISM, INADEQUATE CURRICULUMS, BREAKDOWN OF PARENTAL CONTROL, PROBLEMS IN ADJUSTING TO SCHOOL WORK, REBELLION AGAINST AUTHORITY, GANG ACTIVITY, DRUGS, POOR ENFORCEMENT OF SCHOOL ATTENDANCE LAWS, ETC., ARE CONSIDERED. A STUDY OF 50 STUDENTS REFERRED TO THE COUNTY'S SCHOOL ATTENDANCE REVIEW BOARD, AND SURVEYS OF PARENTS AND TEACHERS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY ARE REVIEWED. STUDY FINDINGS INDICATE THAT, ALTHOUGH THE SCHOOLS SEEM TO BE MAKING EXTENSIVE USE OF THEIR OWN RESOURCES IN COMBATING TRUANCY (E.G., ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL TRANSFER, CASE CONFERENCES, CONFERENCES WITH PARENTS OR STUDENTS, SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES, PROFICIENCY TESTS), THE USE OF OTHER COMMUNITY RESOURCES (E.G., COMMUNITY COUNSELING SERVICES, FOSTER HOME PLACEMENT, PROBATION DEPARTMENT SERVICES) HAS BEEN LIMITED. THE FINDINGS ALSO SHOW THAT PARENTS AND SCHOOL AUTHORITIES DISAGREE ABOUT THE CAUSES OF ABSENTEEISM. SCHOOL AUTHORITIES BLAME ATTENDANCE PROBLEMS ON POOR PARENTAL SUPERVISION AND ON STUDENTS' LACK OF RESPONSIBILITY, WHILE PARENTS BLAME THE PROBLEMS ON POOR READING ABILITY, PERSONALITY TRAITS OF THEIR CHILDREN, FAMILY PROBLEMS, POOR TEACHING, AND LACK OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PARENTS AND SCHOOLS. THE FACT THAT IN 1976-1977 JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ACCOUNTED FOR 50 PERCENT OF ALL TRUANCY IN LOS ANGELES AND TRUANCY BY ELEMENTARY STUDENTS INCREASED 300 PERCENT IS SAID TO DEMONSTRATE THE NEED FOR EARLIER INTERVENTION IN DEALING WITH ABSENTEEISM. (LKM)