Conflict Resolution &amp Essay Example
Conflict Resolution &amp Essay Example

Conflict Resolution &amp Essay Example

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  • Pages: 3 (796 words)
  • Published: April 22, 2018
  • Type: Essay
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Ingersol and LeBoeuf's article titled "Reaching Out to Youth Out of the Education Mainstream" focuses on the issue of student truancy. The article discusses the negative effects of student truancy on educational institutions, society, and the truant youth themselves. The key conflict that arises is finding a way to address truancy that supports students and parents in achieving positive educational and social outcomes. One approach is to use peacemaking techniques, or "best practices," that cater to the individual needs of the truant student. Failure to address early truancy can result in learning opportunities being lost for the student, decreased average daily attendance payments for schools, stressed parents who are unsure of their child's whereabouts during school hours, and increased crime for society. Gary (1996) notes that unexcused absence from school can be an early warning sign t

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hat a youth is at risk for academic failure, suspension, expulsion, delinquency, and day-time crime (as cited in Gonzales and Mullins, 2004, p.5).

According to Puzzanchaera, Stahl, Finnegan, Tierney, & Snyder (2003), juvenile justice truancy cases result in formal probation, a juvenile arrest record, and perpetuate a negative cycle. Truancy affects an individual's adult life as those who drop out of high school earn less than their counterparts who have completed high school education (National Center for Education Statistics, 1999). Society also pays a high price for student truancy, with 83% of inmates under the age of 18 having not completed middle or high school (Austin, 1993). Various causes of youth truancy include fear of violence, learning disabilities, negative role models, parental attitudes toward education, teacher attitudes and lack of training, and an absence of stimulating curriculum, whic

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can result in an atmosphere of submission to failure. Successful conflict resolution and peacemaking programs are necessary to return students to the classroom. Two such programs show promise.The YOEM Initiative aims to effectively manage and serve youth who have fallen or are in danger of falling out of the educational mainstream. To tackle youth truancy, the program uses various conflict resolution strategies centered on effective communication and cooperation. Group interventions and mentorships are employed to address the issue from the outset and assist youth in returning to school. By discussing the problem together, a sense of group identity is established, fostering a commitment to cooperation and ensuring a successful outcome. The prevention programs aim to create a peaceful learning environment by providing specialized teacher training, encouraging participation in extracurricular activities, and offering after-school programs. Additionally, in-school suspension is utilized to keep truant youths on campus, providing them with mentoring and tutoring to help complete assignments. Conflict management and peer mediation programs are increasingly popular as society expects schools to take action against truancy and violence.

According to Bickmore (2008, p.4), many people have had positive experiences with the effects of youth court programs. These programs are expanding across the nation as a way to address truancy and other student issues. Youth courts target the beginning stages of truancy behaviors in order to prevent them from becoming more severe. As noted by Gonzales and Mullins (2004, p.6), there were over 940 active youth courts in the United States in 2004.

To establish a youth court, school staff, a judge who is affiliated with the school, and attorneys train student peers to serve as plaintiff

and defense counsel, court clerks, and most importantly, youth jurors who assign consequences to offenders. By utilizing negotiation and contracts, youth courts hold truants accountable for their behavior, promote positive peer pressure, and encourage offenders to take responsibility for their actions. According to Gonzales and Mullins (2004), youth courts can use constructive communication to connect students with appropriate community services that can address other issues contributing to truancy. Schools benefit from youth court programs because they provide a timely response to truancy instead of lengthy referrals to the juvenile justice system. Additionally, students are more likely to accept decisions made by their peers on the youth jury.

Addressing truancy in early offenders is a way for the juvenile justice system to save manpower and money, allowing them to concentrate on more severe issues. By collaborating with schools, parents, and peers, the youth court setting can effectively tackle the problem of truancy. Agreeing on immediate consequences that cater to the individual needs of the youth provides an opportunity for them to improve their behavior and become a successful member of society. Communities aim to solve the truancy problem to ensure that young people receive proper education and become valuable contributors to society. Two programs demonstrate how communities are taking action by implementing conflict resolution and peacemaking techniques through youth court programs. Such an effort facilitates personal responsibility among truant youth, encouraging communication and cooperation towards addressing the root cause behind truancy. Successful implementation requires a program that promotes communication, teaches problem-solving skills, and provides support for addressing truancy issues.

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