Dealing With Chronic Absenteeism and Its Related Consequences: The Process and Short-Term Effects of a Diversionary Juvenile Court Intervention

School administrators, teachers, parents, and juvenile justice officials have long been concerned about the problem of truancy in schools, especially since truancy has been linked to problem behaviors, including academic failure, school dropout, and delinquency. Thus, the prevention of truancy and programs designed to break the cycle of chronic absenteeism are assumed to have beneficial effects far into the future. Here, multiple methods are used to determine the process and effects of an innovative program designed to deal with chronic absenteeism. Qualitative and quantitative data are presented to show how the program operates and its effects on attendance following the intervention.