• In an effort to dramatically reduce Educational Neglect, the DeKalb Co. Solicitor-General launched Operation Back in School - a multi-agency effort to dramatically reduce educational neglect in DeKalb County.

• Operation Back in School consisted of three parts: Information, Amnesty, and Arrest.

• Of 317 total Educational Neglect cases referred to the DKSG, 103 were in bench warrant.

• To address this problem, the Solicitor-General held two Amnesty Days in the month of August to allow parents and other offenders to come to court without being arrested and have their cases resolved.

• Amnesty day was advertised in the AJC, Crossroads and Champion Newspapers; the DKSG also sent letters to and called each of the 317 people with pending bench warrants.

• Thirty-nine defendants responded to the Amnesty Days, a 38% success rate.

• Of the remaining 64 bench warrants, five cases were closed leaving a balance of 59 bench warrants to be served during the Bench Warrant Sweep.

• The DeKalb County SG, Sheriff, Police Department and District Attorney worked together to conduct the bench warrant sweep on September 16, 2008.

• The number of unexcused absences for one child range from 11 days to 140 days, with an average of 30 days of school without legal excuse. Some children have not been enrolled for an entire school year.