Bully Victimization, Truancy, and Violent Offending: Evidence From the ASEP Truancy Reduction Experiment. (January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cardwell, Stephanie M.; Bennett, Sarah; Mazerolle, Lorraine
• Other Names: Craig Jessica M. guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: Youth violence and juvenile justice. Volume 19:Number 1(2021)
• Page Start: 5
• Page End: 26
• Publication Date: 2021-01
• Subjects: truancy -- bully victimization -- violence -- randomized controlled trial; Youth and violence -- United States -- Periodicals; Juvenile justice, Administration of -- United States -- Periodicals; Juvenile delinquency -- United States -- Prevention -- Periodicals; Juvenile corrections -- United States -- Periodicals; 364.360973
• DOI: 10.1177/1541204020940040
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1541-2040

Abstract

Research indicates truancy and being bullied (otherwise called bully victimization) are independently linked to violent offending. We examine the associations between truancy, bully victimization, and violent offending in a sample of young people who participated in the Ability School Engagement Program (ASEP) truancy reduction experiment. Pre-intervention, half of the sample reported missing school because they were being bullied. Experiment and control participants both exhibited significant reductions in bully victimization and missing school because of bully victimization. Neither groups exhibited significant reductions in violent offending. Contrasting expectations, participants in the control group had significantly larger reductions in missing school because of bully victimization. Post-intervention measures of bully victimization were significantly related to higher odds of violent offending. Bully victimization is a critical factor in understanding the nexus between truancy and violent offending which, if neglected in an intervention (like ASEP) can lead to backfire effects for young people.