Contribution
Description: This interdisciplinary study is under the direction of the department of educational science (Prof. Margrit Stamm) and in close collaboration with the chair of criminal law, philosophy and sociology of law and criminology (Prof. Marcel Alexander Niggli) both University of Fribourg.
The study delves into description, analysis and explanation of juvenile truancy behaviour patterns, the institutional role of school concerning this behaviour and potential coherencies with delinquency.
In addition to the question concerning the contingents of truants related to gender and school levels, the main focus is on the relation between truancy and the four assumed active areas in a juvenile environment such as family, peers, school and individual factors. From the educational point of view the extent and different forms of appearance of truancy will be examined. Furthermore the intention is to illustrate the social backgrounds and relevant conditions in ones school career, which are characteristic for truancy. The juridical-criminal point of view aims to acquire the regulatory consequences of truancy and poses the question, how schools collect and register data of absence without valid excuse and if violation of school attendance is accompanied by delinquent behaviour.
The theoretical framework of this fundamental research is based on a social-ecological systemic context-model demerging in the four active areas mentioned above (family, peers, school and individual factors). This model allows statements about the effect these variables or combinations of them have on the manifestation of truancy. Additional high-risk variables and/or combinations determining truancy can be identified.
Methodology:
The research design consists of three different test stages. In a first stage (November 2005) semi-standardised interviews took place with the heads of the analysed schools. These interviews were held with the objective of collecting different school-reactions to attendance violations and the administrative consequences of truancy. The second stage (March 2006) consists of a questioning the 7th to 9th grade students in 28 different schools in the German speaking part of Switzerland (N=4000). The questionnaire concerns the four active areas family, school, peers and individual. The class teachers are also questioned with the focus on school-related issues such as school atmosphere. The main goal of the second stage is the description and explanation of the phenomena of truancy and the coherence with delinquent behaviour. At stage three (autumn 2006) interviews with students with critical truancy profiles will be held to gain deeper insight into typically truant school careers (N=30).
Conclusions: The main goal of this study is to detect the impact and interaction of the relevant predictor variables of truancy as well as to gain a theoretical understanding of the interaction of institutional and individual effects on truant behaviour.
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