Truancy

Truancy is a term that it commonly used for children of compulsory school age who fail to attend school without an excused absence. Although the legal definition varies, truancy is considered a status offense for juveniles. Status offenses are offenses committed by a juvenile that would not be a crime if committed by an adult. Examples of other status offenses include running away from home and curfew violations. Truancy and other status offenses are often linked to more serious offenses, and the research in juvenile justice often claims that truancy and other status offenses can escalate into more serious violations of the law.