Truancy: Statistics

By Health & Medical Last updated Thursday, May/30/2019

While no national data on the extent of truancy exists, we know that in some cities unexcused absences can number in the thousands each day. here are some statistics that have been gathered:

Studies have shown that two-thirds of male juveniles arrested while truant tested positive for drug use.
According to one confidential survey, nearly 1 in ten 15 year olds were truant at least once a week.
During a recent sample period in Miami more than 71 percent of 13 to 16 year-olds prosecuted for criminal violations had been truant.

In Minneapolis, daytime crime dropped 68 percent after police began citing truant students.
In San Diego, 44 percent of violent juvenile crime occurs between 8:30 a.m . and 1:30 p.m.
In Pittsburgh, each day approximately 3,500 students or 12 percent of the pupil population is absent and about 70 percent of these absences are unexcused.
In Philadelphia, approximately 2,500 students a day are absent without an excuse.
In Milwaukee, on any given school day, there are approximately 4,000 unexcused absences.

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