This Digest examines some of the ways that truancy affects both individuals and society. It identifies factors that may place students at greater risk of becoming truant and lists some consequences of nonattendance, including delayed promotion and graduation, lowered self-esteem, and lessened employment potential. The causes of truancy vary among…

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention?s (OJJDP?s) intensive community based aftercare research and demonstration project known as the Intensive Aftercare Program (IAP) has become widely recognized as one of the most promising recent innovations in juvenile justice. The project has called attention to an area that traditionally…

Describes how one principal solved the problem of an invasion by 300 juvenile thugs'' at his quiet, suburban junior high school campus in Baltimore, Maryland. (EA)

Analyzes data from a juvenile diversion program which seem to indicate that as program services increased, the likelihood of participant recidivism increased. Maintains that the unexpected findings resulted from flaws in data recording within the program and suggests that program designs should incorporate evaluation strategies in order to ensure…

Reviews briefly traditional psychotherapeutic and behavioral approaches toward intervention and prevention among juvenile offenders. Outlines important problems common to both methods and sketches likely directions of future research and practice, predicting a shift in emphasis from intervention to prevention. (CMG)

Describes the juvenile justice system and indicates points at which educators could be called upon to provide information. Questions educators might be asked are discussed and a few ways that educators might contribute to delinquency prevention are suggested. (Author/RH)

The cognitive model of delinquency prevention is based on research evidence that antisocial behavior arises from deficits in cognitive problem-solving and social interaction skills. The early acquisition of cognitive skills may help prevent delinquency in children who must contend with adverse environmental conditions. (SK)

Explores the now popular assumption that delinquency is primarily caused by child abuse and neglect. Notes that existing studies are inconclusive or provide weak connections at best. In light of public concern over juvenile crime, calls for more funding to explore strategies to prevent and control serious juvenile crimes, especially violence. (TJQ)

Examined the psychopathological morbidity of criminal children and teenagers from a diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventative point of view. Studied the young offenders' histories, their behavior patterns and personalities at the time the actual criminal act took place, and how subjects coped with the judicial procedure during the following…

Argues that there is no single strategy, institution, or discipline that can create the changes needed to reduce violence in America. Preventing violence requires long-term commitments, a comprehensive set of strategies, and new partnerships combined and focused on prevention of, not responses to, youth violence. (GR)

Reviews statistics on delinquency, federal involvement in juvenile justice, delinquency issues, and research needs in the areas of academic and vocational instruction, transitions, placement, and corrections personnel. (SK)

Describes how one community (1) realized it had a problem with disaffected and troubled youth; (2) began to learn about the problem; (3) gradually shaped a youth program and then expanded it to reach younger teens; and (4) regained its young people. (SR)

Uses experiences of a mentoring program to argue that mentoring programs represent a viable strategy for delinquency prevention and reduction, even for youth who have been adjudicated for serious offenses. The importance of careful design and concern for the special needs of the population to be monitored is discussed. (SLD)

More than 6,021 groups have been identified that work to bring peace to urban streets in constructive ways. Approaches that can help bring these groups together as exemplified by the Youth Peace Movement are discussed. The transcommunal approach of the Youth Peace Movement brings together many allies at the grass roots level. (SLD)