Truancy linked to assaults and crime

WYOMING, Mich. (WOOD) - It will come as no surprise that there is a strong link between truancy and graduation rates, but studies suggest that chronic school truancy has the potential to lead to far worse consequences.

A study by the U.S. Department of Justice indicates students who admit skipping school are 12 times more likely to commit a serious assault, 21 times more likely to be a victim of serious assault, seven times more likely to be arrested, 16 times more likely to use marijuana, and about half as likely to be employed as an adult.

== Read the US Department of Justice study (pdf) ==

Faced with those statistics, one local school district decided to design a program to get at the problem early.

"If you look at the kids who are in gangs or are being arrested for perpetrating the violence, they didn't have strong families or successful school careers. They just didn't," said Dr. Gina Kuyers of Godfrey-Lee Public Schools.

At the Godfrey-Lee Early Childhood Development Center in Wyoming, officials have implemented the All Day, Every Day Program.

All Day, Every Day works closely with police and prosecutors. Students who miss give days are flagged and the parents contacted. From there, parents, teachers and school officials schedule regular meetings to discuss school attendance and performance.

Miss a meeting, and Wyoming police will send a letter reminding parents of truancy law. If there is no improvement in six weeks, parents could face prosecution.

== Watch above: 24 Hour News 8's Steve Kelso attended an All Day, Every Day meeting that demonstrated the effectiveness of the program ==

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Online:

US Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention