Truancy is one of the most powerful indicators of juvenile crime. Truant children not only miss out on their critical education but may also be exposed to  repeated opportunities to commit crime, or be victimized by crime.

 In 1997 the State Attorney Truancy Intervention Unit was formed by a partnership between the State Attorney and the Broward County School Board with 37 Elementary Schools participating in the program. In September of 2000 we will begin our fourth year of this program and all 127 Broward County Elementary schools will be participating.

 The State Attorney Truancy Unit’s primary focus is on intervention with the parent or guardian of the truant child  to place the child back in school.

 Initially, a school will try to resolve the attendance problem of any child who has three unexcused absences by assigning a social worker to the family to determine the source of the problem. Once 5 unexcused absences have accumulated, the School Board contacts the State Attorney’s Office, the child’s records are subpoenaed and a Truancy Intervention Program Specialist (TIPS) is assigned to deliver a notice to the parent/guardian explaining Florida’s compulsory school attendance law. If a child has 10 or more unexcused absences school officials, case workers, teachers and State Attorney staff meet with the parent in a final effort to bring the child back to school. Once the child returns to school, the State Attorney’s Office monitors the child’s attendance. 

If parents fail to comply with the intervention the case is referred to the appropriate law enforcement agency for investigation and then submitted to the State Attorney’s Office as a criminal case. Parents can be prosecuted for violation of school attendance laws (a second-degree misdemeanor) and/or contributing to the delinquency of a minor (a first-degree misdemeanor).

 The State Attorney Truancy Intervention Unit also monitors truant children who are under the supervision of the Department of Juvenile Justice. A child placed on community control in Juvenile Delinquency Court is ordered to attend school by the Judge. Those who do not comply with this court order are taken before the Judge. The State Attorney’s Office may file a petition to violate the child’s community control status which could result in the placement of the child in a special program, day or residential. 

The State Attorney Truancy Intervention Unit also helps to identify children and families in need of services. An Assistant State Attorney meets with the committee that helps to direct a child or family to appropriate counseling, medical, psychiatric or psychological services. 

The State Attorney Truancy Intervention Unit can be reached at (954) 831-8592.