Court Responses to Runaway Offenses and Other Juvenile Status Violations

Abstract

This chapter discusses the ways in which the courts respond to youth who run away from home and commit other offenses. Runaway youth may be classified as status offenders. Status offenses are non-criminal behaviors that are treated as violations only because the offender is a minor. Classifying juvenile behavior as status offenses is designed to restrict the youth’s behavior in order to promote their safety and health. States may classify runaways and other status violators as delinquents, while in other states status offenders are considered neglected or abused dependents. Some states classify status violators as a separate category. Status offenders may be referred to juvenile court or the runaway’s first contact is with a state child welfare agency. In other states, the status offender may be sent to a residential facility or the juvenile is required to participate in community-based interventions. If these informal strategies are not successful, juvenile courts will formally process them. In addition, A Child in Need Supervision petition can be filed with the court to assist juveniles who repeatedly commit status violations such as running away from home. This chapter also analyzes factors that increase the probability that youth will commit status offenses and disparities in the juvenile justice system.