Juvenile Justice - School Influence - Assignment Example

Juvenile Justice - School InfluenceBesides families, school environments have appreciable contribution towards enhancing desirable characters among children. An effective truancy prevention program should target behavior change elements among the youths. Vital features of truancy prevention programs include the involvement of a parent, collaboration with resources in the community such as law enforcement, administrative support from the school and ongoing evaluation of the youth with the aim of reducing risk.

Use of incentives and sanctions is an effective strategy to reduce truancy among children (NCSE 3). Programs such as abolish chronic truancy (ACT) are effective truancy prevention program in schools. ACT targets children in grade K-6.ACT progressively involves both the child and the parents in an effort to make them be accountable. The first step in this program is the school administration engaging parents, who show truancy behaviors at school. In the presence of the deputy district attorney, community-based organizations and school staff, the parents are invited to attend a meeting, together with their children.

The program aims at improving character among children through collaboration between parents and instructors. In case of no reforms in behavior, parents of affected child are required to attend a review team meeting at the school. At this step, the review team undertakes identification of specific problems of the child. Parents should commit to being actively involved in ensuring the child adheres to attendance rules. The review board for that probe the student’s attendance is the next step for children with further problems after the SART.

If all the measures are unsuccessful to prevent truancy expressed through the child’s behavior, the case is filed against the parent and the child.Work CitedNational Center for School Engagement (NCSE). Truancy Prevention In Action: Best Practices And Model Truancy Programs. Denver, CO: Colorado Foundation for Families and Children, 2005. Print.