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Today’s truant may be tomorrow’s criminal

Chronic truancy and eventual involvement in crime go hand-in-hand. Research has shown that truancy is a predictor of future criminal behavior. Therefore, the Pima County Attorney’s Office is serious about ending truancy.

photo of Teenager's hands in handcuffsIt is the mission of the Pima County Attorney’s Office to get truant students back in school in an effort to prevent a life of crime and increase the potential for a life of success.

By working in partnership with the Center for Juvenile Alternatives (CJA), law enforcement, school administrators, teachers, parents and students, the Pima County Attorney’s Office is intervening at the very beginning of the truancy cycle.

If a student is unexcused from school, an attendance officer will send an advisory letter to the parents or guardian informing them about the legal consequences for their failure to ensure their son/daughter’s attendance at school. If the student is a chronic truant, the school will refer the student and parent or guardian to CJA.

The Center for Juvenile Alternatives (CJA) interviews youth who are arrested for status offenses, including truancy and provide intervention strategies. The Pima County Attorney’s Office and the CJA work closely with individual schools to identify students who are on their way to being habitually truant. Based on Arizona Law the Pima County Attorney’s Office can prosecute parents for their child’s failure to attend school. However, before this happens, CJA provides an opportunity to intervene by providing a diversion program in place of prosecution.

The terms and conditions of the ACT Now Truancy Program may include referrals to Teen Court, counseling, educational programs, parenting skills training or other diversion programs. The Pima County Attorney’s Office will prosecute parents who fail to comply with the terms and conditions of the diversion program.

To contact the ACT NOW Truancy Program, please call Gene Bertie, Program Director at 740-5600.

 

 
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  • Make education a family priority and emphasize the important role education plays throughout life.
  • Help your child develop good study and work habits. Trouble with a particular subject can have an effect on your child’s desire to attend.
  • Schedule daily home study time. Help with homework when needed.
  • Get your child tutorial help with subjects that pose learning difficulties
  • Help your child develop and achieve academic goals.
  • Develop a phone-in policy with the school to check on your child’s daily attendance, or have the person in charge of school attendance alert you about non-attendance.
  • Explain how dropouts have more trouble getting and keeping jobs and make half as much money as graduates.
  • Self-confidence is important. Recognize your child’s achievements in both school and outside activities.
  • Meet with your child’s teachers and other school personnel. They can provide important insights into the child’s school performance and make suggestions for improvement.
  • Get to know your child’s friends and classmates. They can have influence over your child’s school performance. Lack of friends or problems with classmates can also affect school performance and desire to attend.
  • Learn to identify the symptoms of teenage drug and alcohol abuse.
  • Seek treatment for any drug or alcohol issues that your child may have.
  • Help your child develop an interest in extracurricular school activities such as sports, band, clubs, etc.
  • Get involved with the PTA or school Board.
 
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A.R.S. 15-802
requires that a person having custody of a child between six and sixteen years of age must ensure that the child is in school full time when school is in session.

A.R.S. 13-3613
requires that parents not commit any acts contributing to a child’s dependency or delinquency. This includes failing to send a child to school.


  
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07-08 School Year
Truancy Sweeps

Truancy Sweeps 4
Truants Arrested 109
Parents Cited 7
High School Arrests 54
Mdl. School Arrests 51
Elem. School Arrests 1
Not Registered 3
Home Visits 113
Center For Juvenile Alternatives (CJA)

The Center for Juvenile Alternatives, in partnership with the Pima County Attorney’s Office, provides case management for truant youth and their families referred to the ACT Now Truancy Program. Case management involves intake, assessment and intervention strategies for truant youth and their families. The following are additional services provided by Center for Juvenile Alternatives:

  • 24-hour phone crisis intervention, information, referral and walk-in services
  • Centralized intake for shelter, physical referrals, paper referrals, respite and walk-in services
  • Family information and referral to continuing services
  • Outreach and follow-up support
  • Court adjustment and disposition
  • Accommodation for special needs clientele
Center For Juvenile Alternatives (CJA)
A department of Open Inn, Inc.
630 E. 9th Street
Tucson, AZ. 85705
Phone: (520) 670-9040 ext.18


 
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  • Involve parents in all truancy prevention activities.
  • Ensure that students face firm sanctions for truancy.
  • Create meaningful incentives for parental responsibility
  • Establish ongoing truancy prevention programs in schools
  • Involve local law enforcement agencies in truancy reduction efforts.
  
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