Truancy is a Gateway Offense to Juvenile Delinquency and Crime in Louisiana

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 01: INTRODUCTION1

1.1Background of the Study1

1.2Purpose of the Study2

1.3Aims and Objectives2

1.4Research Questions3

1.5Ethical Considerations3

1.6Outline of the Study4

CHAPTER 02: LITERATURE REVIEW5

2.1Truancy- Historical Context5

2.2Truancy6

2.3Correlation Studies7

2.4Truancy Risk Factors7

2.41Individual Risk and Protective Factors8

2.42School Risk and Protective Factors8

2.43Family Risk and Protective Factors9

2.44Community Risk and Protective Factors10

CHAPTER 03: METHODOLOGY11

3.1Research Philosophy11

3.2Research Design11

3.3Data Collection12

3.4Qualitative Research13

3.5Assumptions of Qualitative Research13

3.6Confidentiality14

3.7Validity and Reliability15

3.8Time Frame16

REFERENCES18

CHAPTER 01: INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Truancy has been acknowledged as the top ten major problems identified in schools, in the United States. In 1852, the first school attendance laws were adopted by Massachusetts in order to restrain child labor (Moskowitz, 2004). The school attendance laws were adopted by thirty two states and were made compulsory by 1900. Likewise, every state implemented some form of school attendance laws by 1918 (Lleras-Muney, 2002). However, the number of days varies by state, school, and school districts in order for a juvenile to be tagged as a “truant”. State legislation usually provides the guiding principles for maximum number of absences allowed for a school district. School districts are, therefore, held responsible for strict implementation of these guidelines. For instance, in Pennsylvania, a school-aged juvenile is labeled as a 'truant', if he is absent for more than three times from school after the notice of truancy being sent to the juvenile's home. Similarly in Louisiana, juvenile will be considered as truant after his fifth unexcused absence, in a single month, from the school. It has been observed that truancy is defined as an unexcused absence from school by many school districts, where unexcused refers to the absence of student without school or parental permission. The Office for Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, in their research, outlined many links between truancy and other more serious types of delinquency (OJJDP, 2001). Further, criminology literature has also established links between truancy, vandalism, gang behavior, substance abuse and auto theft (Loeber & Farrington, 2000). Moreover, the studies examining male criminality have also established links between truancy and other violent offences (Ingersoll & LeBoeuf, 1997). It can also be argued that juvenile truants possess poorer social skills, and are more likely to rely on welfare support trust, have low-paid jobs, and have an increased probability of being incarcerated (Catalano and Hawkins, 1996).

Purpose of the Study

Truancy, often stated as “gateway crime”, has been linked with an increased tendency towards violence, various delinquent juvenile activities, and adulthood negative behavior. According to the Juvenile Justice Bulletin (2001), adults committing truancy as teenagers are more likely to possess poor physical, mental health, lower paying jobs, heavy reliance on welfare support and an increased probability of living in poverty, as compared to those who did not commit truancy in their teen age. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to assess the correlation between truancy and its contribution to juvenile delinquency and crime. Statistics show that 70 percent of students who violate the truancy law later in life grow to commit juvenile crime and become adult ...