The Justice & Prevention Research Center is the evaluation partner to the Sonoma County Department of Probation in the implementation of the Keeping Kids in School (KKIS) program. The KKIS program provides case management and comprehensive services for youth and families who are at greatest risk for disengagement from school, to address attendance and truancy issues, and to prevent students from later justice system involvement.
Truancy has been proven to have several long-term outcomes, including:
- poverty
- social service and justice system involvement,
- poor health
- increased crime and victimization
The Center’s work includes a process and outcome evaluation carried out through interviews, analyses of school and program data, and online surveys to meet the County’s evidence needs for KKIS.
The project is funded under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program and will run through 2017.