Graffiti and vandalism don’t only happen under cover of darkness. They often occur during broad daylight when the perpetrators should really be somewhere else: school.

“There is a misperception that graffiti happens late at night, but I think it often happens during the day too,” said Tooele City Police Chief Ron Kirby. “The reality is that even though there are some adults out there tagging, most of it is done by underage people.”

It’s this trend that has police scratching their heads to find a solution to the problem of truancy. The problem isn’t something patrol officers specialize in, nor is it something they have much time to combat.

Youth ages 6 to 18 are required to attend school by state law, but because of home schooling, work-release programs, early college courses, or vocational training opportunities open to students, it’s difficult for officers to verify who should be in class and who has permission not to be.

“We do see a number of kids out, but that’s where the challenge is,” Kirby said. “It’s hard for officers to know [who’s out legitimately], and with all the other calls coming in, they often don’t have time to find out.”

According to the 2007-2008 Safe School Report issued by the Tooele County School District, 75 truancy incidents were reported during the last school year — a 13 percent increase from the previous year.

“Truancy is an issue and I know it’s an issue that all schools are dealing with,” said Tooele County School District Superintendent Terry Linares. “It’s an issue that we are working constantly to lower. We want kids in school.”

That’s where truancy officer Alex Pacheco comes in. Pacheco has been combating truancy at Tooele High School for five years now. He said he’s become increasingly busy over that time.

Pacheco pulls unexcused absence reports and brings students with excessive numbers into his office for one-on-one counseling. During those counseling sessions, Pacheco talks about consequences for truancy — like warnings, truancy citations, fines, and possibly even referral to truancy court — and tries to understand the reasons why a student chooses to skip class.

Tooele County School District Superintendent Terry Linares says those types of interviews are key in reducing the number of truancies in schools.

“The best strategy for us is to get with that student and work closely with their parents in establishing some interventions to curb that trend,” she said.

Linares said truancy is a problem similar to student drug use. Repeatedly slapping a person’s wrist for ingesting drugs won’t fix the problem. The students will likely still retain the habit and it will worsen over time. But if the student can receive therapy, the habit itself may be beaten.

Changes to a student’s curriculum or schedule can sometimes curb the tendency to skip class, Linares said.

Tooele City Police Officer Heath Hillyard is posted at Tooele High School on a daily basis, working to keep criminal activity at the school at bay. But because he doesn’t leave campus, Hillyard can only do so much about truancy. He does believe, however, that crime happening around the valley can be linked to truancy.

“If they aren’t here they are out somewhere else,” Hillyard said. “They’re out committing crime.”

Examples, Hillyard said, include underage drinking and smoking, vandalism and graffiti, and burglary.

“Just being truant is a crime,” Pacheco said. “A lot of students don’t realize that.”

Truancy cases only move to the court level after 11 unexcused absences, or if the school administration feels it has exhausted all other means of helping students.

Truancy court incorporates a series of things a student must complete during a time period set aside by the judge — like community service, making regular court appearances with a parent, developing a personalized education plan, tutoring or abiding by set curfews. If all of this is completed successfully, a student’s slate can be wiped clean. If not, students may be kicked out of the program, but are still required to pay fines and complete community service before they turn 18.

Pacheco said he talks hard economic facts to truants to keep them from leaving school permanently.

“There are millions of educated people losing their jobs right now and they are scooping up any job they can find to make ends meet — construction work, waiting tables,” Pacheco said. “Where does that leave a dropout?”

High school campuses in the county are open, but those leaving the schools to work or attend another school should have an identification card with them, Linares said. This gives law enforcement one sure-fire way to detect truant students.

Kirby said his department is currently working with the school district to form a plan that would better enable officers to know how to proceed when they come across students loitering around the community during school hours.

“What we really need is a juvenile receiving center,” Kirby said. “Then we can just pick up the kids and take them there.”

Jamie Belnap: jamieb@tooeletranscript.com