TRUANCY AND THE COURTS - RESEARCH NOTE

• NCJ Number: 52898
• Journal: Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry Volume: 18 Issue: 4 Dated: (SEPTEMBER 1977) Pages: 359-365
• Author(s): I BERG; R HULLIN; R MCGUIRE; S TYRER
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 7 pages
• Corporate Author: Pergamon Press Limited
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom

Annotation

AFTER COURT APPEARANCE, THE SCHOOL ATTENDANCE OF 36 TRUANTS WHO WERE PLACED UNDER SUPERVISION WAS NOT AS GOOD AS THAT OF THE 117 WHOSE CASES WERE ADJOURNED IN A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY IN A LARGE NORTHERN ENGLAND CITY.

Abstract

THE SUPERVISION ORDER USED BY JUVENILE COURTS IN BRITAIN PLACES TRUANTS UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE SOCIAL SERVICES OR PROBATION DEPARTMENT. HOWEVER, MAGISTRATES MAY REFRAIN FROM ISSUING THE SUPERVISION ORDER FOR TRUANTS, ADJOURN THE COURT PROCEEDINGS, AND BRING THE CHILD BACK FOR SUBSEQUENT INQUIRY INTO SCHOOL ATTENDANCE. TO EXAMINE THE SUBSEQUENT SCHOOL ATTENDANCE OF CHILDREN DEALT WITH BY THE ADJOURNMENT PROCEDURE AND SEE IF IT WAS BETTER THAN THE SUPERVISION PROCEDURE, A STUDY WAS CONDUCTED CONCERNING THE TRUANTS BROUGHT BEFORE A PARTICULAR COURT. THE STUDY MADE USE OF THE INFORMATION ON 179 CHILDREN WHICH WAS AVAILABLE FROM THE EDUCATION AND POLICE AGENCIES. THE INFORMATION, FROM THE 1972-1973 SCHOOL YEAR, INCLUDED PREVIOUS ABSENCES FROM SCHOOL AND THE STATUS OF THE CHILDREN'S FAMILIES. IT WAS CONCLUDED FROM THE ANALYSIS THAT THE ADJOURNED GROUP OF 117 STUDENTS ATTENDED SCHOOL MUCH MORE SATISFACTORILY THAN THE SUPERVISED GROUP OF 36 STUDENTS DURING THE 6 MONTHS FOLLOWING THE FIRST APPEARANCE IN COURT. IT IS FELT THAT THE COURT PROCEDURE OF ADJOURNMENT WAS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR IN GETTING TRUANTS BACK TO SCHOOL, WITH SUPPORT FOR THIS VIEW COMING FROM THE LARGE DIFFERENCE IN OUTCOME BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS OF CHILDREN, AND THE LACK OF OTHER STATISTICAL DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS OF CHILDREN. SINCE CHILDREN WITH DIVORCED, SEPARATED, OR WIDOWED MOTHERS DID PARTICULARLY POORLY WHEN SUPERVISED, AND SINCE THE GROUP OF SUPERVISED STUDENTS CONTAINED A DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBER OF STUDENTS, WITHOUT INTACT FAMILIES, SELECTION BIASES MAY HAVE DISTORTED THE DATA. IT IS NOTED THAT CHILDREN PUT ON INTERIM CARE NOTICES WERE LIKELY TO BE PUT INTO CARE WITHIN A YEAR. GRAPHS, TABULAR DATA, AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (TWK)