This may be in part due to the fact that we are in a time when resources are limited and the economy is such that new programs often cannot be developed and existing programs are struggling to sustain financially. Therefore, the ability of policy makers to make changes to societal circumstances relies on incremental changes to expenditures and manpower in order to facilitate change (Jones, 1973). These shifts often need to occur within existing frameworks in order for the possibility of improvement to exist. For example, in order to implement policy change, resources may need to be shifted from one service area to another in a small but meaningful way.
Policy decisions can be tested and adjusted as they are implemented and executed in order to ensure that they are effective. Since this model makes common the notion of small steps, revisions of current practices will become more readily accepted. According to Timmer (2004), decision making in this manner can be viewed as a state of continued negotiation and adjustment.
Chapter Three
The history of implementation of procedures to address truancy can be seen from an incremental model, in that although policies have been in place for quite some time, only small changes that build off existing policies have occurred. The incremental model certainly explains why we have not seen major changes in the manner in which truancy is address nationwide and more specifically in the state of California. In deciding to implement this ordinance of a daytime curfew for school age children, the city council is building from California state law that finds youth in violation if they are missing from school for any period greater than 30 minutes during the school day.
The first step of implementing the day time curfew builds upon this legislation. Sanctions will be imposed in a graduated fashion with each incidence receiving a more severe infraction from being returned to school up to being arrested and detained. This policy is built upon the knowledge that truancy is an issue in Richmond with as many as 450 students having unexcused absences on any given day (Rogers, 2010). This is an incremental approach that focuses on the problems rather than setting a future oriented goal such as that 90% of youth who attend the school system will be excited about participating in the education system. It can be viewed as a deficit approach, how to fix what is broken.
This ordinance will be implemented in a gradual manner and appears to be designed in such a manner that one piece will be implemented at a time to ensure that it is effective, a trial and error approach. For example, under current procedures youth have been detained and brought to the police station to await their parent's arrival. However, at times this has proven to be an inefficient use of police resources as it can take a great deal of time for a parent to arrive to pick up their child. Under the new ordinance, a police officer now has the discretion to bring the youth to the parent's place of employment and eventually to a receiving facility for truant youth.
This legislation has been met with much resistance including opponents who are concerned with the criminalization of youth. Despite this, these incremental changes were approved by the city council. This may not have been the case if the proposal had called for radical measures. This ordinance was unanimously voted on by the city council which tells us that the changes to existing programs were small enough that all parties were able to see the benefit in their implementation. Educational policies aimed at decreasing truancy often times have not been updated to address the growing number of youth who are truant every year. In some cases these policies were not seen as needing to be changed.
Chapter Four
The incremental model was designed by Charles Lindblom who explained it as continually building upon what is in existence, step-by-step, and in small increments (Timmer, 2004). Any changes from the status quo are marginal and only a small number of options are explored to address any given issue (Timmer, 2004). The end result is only minimally different from the policies that are already in place. Policy makers utilizing this model...
Truancy and Court Appearances The Relationship between School Truancy Rates and Court Cases Research, albeit it clinical, case study, empirical, descriptive, historical, or any combination thereof, must exhibit and command interest, enthusiasm, and passionate commitment. The first step in the attainment of a desired research effort, one that convinces the reader as to the topic's efficacy and usefulness, is to develop a scientific approach toward the phenomenon under investigation. Second, a research
Truancy and the Fault Associated With the Practice Truancy is an issue that is as old as schools themselves. There used to be very severe punishments for cutting class, but those have been reduced or, in some cases, passed on to another party supposedly responsible besides the actual truant. The primary issue lately has been whether the truant is at fault, or if the reason can be traced to improper parenting
The independent variable will be the positive reinforcement as represented by the incentive program. The study will be examined by examining increases or decreases on the overall attendance rate of students before application of an incentive program and then after the incentive program has been in effect for at least 1/2 of the school year. It is expected increases or decreases in the truancy rates will be due to
" (Ibid) the schools in Chicago are "being held up as a model for other parts of the nation for reducing detention among juvenile delinquents, without seeing recidivism rates or crime rates increase." (Wheeler, 2002) Summary Each of these articles looks at truancy in the state of Illinois, in the work of Johnston (2005) it is noted that the characteristics attributed to students who have poor attendance in school include the negative
Truancy is the first and most reliable indicator of future delinquent behavior. Youth missing school regularly are at a great risk of getting involved in drugs, alcohol and crimes. The rising instances of truancy in schools around the country indicate that it has become a major problem and a huge concern since most of these kids are likely to test positive for drug and alcohol use or end up in
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. It is not likely that
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