In response to the well documented linkage between juvenile delinquency, day time crime and youth victimization, District Attorney Charles J. Hynes is New York City’s first DA to comprehensively address these issues by formulating an innovative program specifically designed to combat truancy.

In April of 1998, District Attorney Charles J. Hynes started the Truancy Reduction Alliance to Contact Kids, commonly known as the TRACK Program. The TRACK Program is a collaborative partnership between District Attorney Charles J. Hynes and the New York City Police Department, the New York City Department of Education, as well as a wide spectrum of community based organizations, houses of faith, and a wide array of New York City agencies.

District Attorney Charles J. Hynes recognizes that truancy is a public safety issue. Mr. Hynes states, “Young people limit their opportunities because of mistakes in judgment or [because of] a lack of education.” He continues by saying, “Some become parents at an early age, [while] others fall into a life involving crime. A truancy program teaming parents, students, schools, police, prosecutors and community services can make a difference.”

How it Works

The TRACK Program operates out of six TRACK Centers located throughout Brooklyn. Centers are operational between the hours of 9 AM and 2 PM on days when school is in session. If a child is not in school between the hours of 9:30 AM and 12 PM, Case Law allows an Officer to stop the student and ask the student about his/her destination. If an Officer determines that the child is truant, the Officer must escort the student to the nearest TRACK Center. This is done for the purpose of the student’s safety. When the student arrives at a TRACK Center, the following takes place:

1. A Police Officer obtains the student’s pertinent contact information and contacts the student’s parent and/or guardian. Parents are told to come to the Center, meet with a social worker, if they wish, and return their children to school. Currently, 84% of the parents have picked up their children and returned them to school.
2. An Educational Specialist, employed by New York City’s Department of Education, verifies that the student is enrolled in school and enrolls any child who is not.
3. School Safety Agents, employed by the New York City Police Department, maintain order and safety at the Center; and return children back to school in the event that a parent is unable to.
4. Licensed Social Workers, employed by the District Attorney, are available to provide on-site crisis intervention, short-term counseling, advocacy and referral services to students and their parent/s.

Milestones

In January of 2000, former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani recognized the success of the TRACK Program in his State of the City Address. Soon after, former Mayor Giuliani announced the allocation funds for the citywide expansion of truancy reduction programming efforts. As a result of the recognized success of the TRACK Program, each of the City’s five boroughs now has a truancy reduction program in place. In August of 2006, the TRACK Program received national recognition by the American Bar Association’s Juvenile Justice Committee as a model truancy prevention program.

Outcome Measures

• 65,005 students have been processed by TRACK, since 1999
• To date, the collaborative efforts of the TRACK Program have resulted in the closure of 97 Missing Persons Reports (MPRs)
• Only 3% of students processed at a TRACK Center return a second time

For announcements about current and new TRACK Centers and for our schedule of workshops, visit our website: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or call the TRACK Hotline 718-250-2298