City Cast DC Is Student Truancy Behind DC's Youth Crime?
Nov 18, 2025
Lauren Lumpkin and Robert Samuels, reporters from the Washington Post, dive into the alarming connection between student truancy and youth crime in D.C. They reveal shocking statistics, including 18,000 uninvestigated truancy reports. The duo discusses the longstanding failures in addressing absenteeism and how unmet policy commitments have worsened the situation post-COVID. They explore reasons behind truancy, such as family needs and mental health issues, and spotlight successful after-school programs that help reduce absenteeism. It's a crucial discussion on policy and community impact.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Truancy Predated The Pandemic
- Truancy rose long before COVID and was driven by unfulfilled city promises and program gaps.
- The pandemic accelerated problems that were already embedded in DC's systems.
Reporting System Broke Down
- More middle schools became truant at a much higher rate over the past decade, correlating with youth crime.
- CFSA received required truancy reports but declined to investigate over 90% of them.
Thousands Of Reports Went Unaddressed
- Over three recent school years, CFSA left some 18,000 truancy reports uninvestigated.
- That left families and schools without city-level follow-up for thousands of missing-student cases.