Status offenses in juvenile justice systems

Truancy

Status Offense: Truancy

On the surface, truancy or skipping school does not seem to be all that serious of an offense; it does not cause any direct harm to persons or property, and truly on its own it amounts to relatively little. Though there are direct and immediate consequences to missing out on any piece of a well-rounded education, there are far more serious status offenses that pose greater risks to the offenders and society at large in terms of direct impact they have. The indirect impact of truancy and what it can lead o is another story, however.

The other problems that are related to truancy and make it a much larger problem in its own right are manifold. First, the long-term impacts on repeat offenders in missing out on large portions of their education can be seen in lower wages, increased poverty rates, and greater levels of criminality. Second, truancy is rarely an offense that occurs on its own -- skipping school is often done for some other illicit purpose, including vandalism, theft, and other serious crimes. Smoking, alcohol, and drug use -- status offenses or misdemeanor crimes -- are common behaviors among truant students, and thus truancy directly impacts current criminality amongst youths. It also makes them easier victims of violent crimes.

Eliminating mandatory school attendance would eliminate the concept of criminal truancy, with some positive benefits. Schools would be able to focus resources on those more engaged in learning, and police resources could be directed towards more serious offenses. This is tantamount to giving up on the youth who skip school, however, and is not necessarily advisable.

Current state and federal laws do a great deal to encourage and enforce attendance at schools, but as almost any high school student can tell you it is not difficult to skip a class or even an entire day (or more) of school. At the same time, it is not clear that more stringent laws or punishments would do much to alter the situation, and short of creating a school system that is as closely guarded as a prison it will be all but impossible to keep all students at school all the time. Laws in this area are this an adequate mix of liberal policy and expedience.