This Digest examines some of the ways that truancy affects both individuals and society. It identifies factors that may place students at greater risk of becoming truant and lists some consequences of nonattendance, including delayed promotion and graduation, lowered self-esteem, and lessened employment potential. The causes of truancy vary among individuals. Guidelines for creating effective attendance policies should be consistently enforced, and absences should be followed up by a telephone call or a letter. Many school districts have adopted a hardline approach to reducing unexcused absenteeism; in one such district, truancy rates were reduced 45 percent when truants and their parents were taken to court. Data also show that truancy can be controlled within the school; the power of peer influence was revealed in one study in which 84 percent of the interviewed truants said their friends skipped school. Administrators may also use new software to track student absences. Ways in which the community can become involved include pairing students with volunteer mentors who then work to foster students' career interests, or special programs where students not attending school are reported to the county attorney who then works to help the students back into the school and/or work environment. (RJM)