SAN DIEGO – Citing the importance of education in combating truancy and crime, District Attorney and candidate for mayor Bonnie Dumanis announced today her support for the San Diego County Office of Education’s plans to reduce truancy by asking parents and community members to be alert to truant youth in their neighborhoods. As part of the plan, county officials are requesting that adults who see children out in the community during regular school hours notify authorities.
“As District Attorney, this is an issue that I’ve been working with San Diego Unified School District on for some time. Last year, I sent a letter to parents throughout the district, providing information on resources, and warning them of the alarming problem of truancy and potential legal consequences of not resolving their child’s attendance problems. As I stated in my Framework for America’s Finest Schools, parents and parents groups must be part of the solution to the problems facing the district, and truancy remains a problem,” said Dumanis.
Dumanis’ comprehensive reform plan, launched last week, calls for public hearings to review the district’s plans for improvement at each district school and the progress of such plans. It’s estimated that each year California suffers $46 billion in economic losses, including $12 million in crime costs alone, when students drop out of high school. In 2009-2010 academic year, it was reported just over 1,000 of the district’s estimated 130,000 students were chronically truant.
“As District Attorney and a former Superior Court Judge, I have seen firsthand the link between education and crime. A quality education is one of the best weapons against future criminal behavior. We know that when students are not in class, everyone loses,” added Dumanis.
Reports show that high school graduates are less likely to commit crimes. Nationally, 68% of prison inmates did not graduate from high school. In addition, it is estimated that we can decrease murder and assault rates by about 20% with just a 10% increase in high school graduation rates. Statewide, such progress would translate into 500 fewer murders and 20,000 fewer aggravated assaults on an annual basis.