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Home » Consumer Information » Crime

Runaways

A runaway youth is a person in their teenage years of younger who voluntarily leaves their own home and parental figures. This is an ongoing epidemic in the United States where more then 1.5 million youths leave home every year.

Causes

The exact reason a young person decides to run away may be difficult or even impossible to explain, even by them. Some of the most common reasons include:

Parental Neglect

Young people may feel they are so neglected at home they will be better off on their own, but most likely running away for this reason is a call for attention. The idea behind it, even if not fully recognized by the person leaving home, might be that the best way to get the attention of a parent or legal guardian is to scare them by leaving.

Many kids who leave home because of neglect will look for a family like social setting. This is one of the major reasons that young people join up with gangs. They feel they are gaining a large family that cares for them and watches over them. It gives them a sense of belonging and acceptance that they did not get from home.

Abuse

A youth who faces either physical or sexual abuse may leave home to escape a painful and emotionally scarring environment. In this scenario, the young people may genuinely feel they will be better off on their own.

People of any age who are subjected to abuse at home may be afraid or embarrassed to report it to the proper authorities. In many cases the idea of simply leaving the situation and never coming back may seem like the best route to take.

Drugs and Alcohol

A home life that is rife with drug use and alcohol abuse will present an unhealthy and potentially dangerous environment. That type of behavior is also a common cause of physical, mental and emotional abuse.

Upheaval

A major change in the home life of a child may cause them to run away. The change may be a divorce, death in the family, relocation to another city or a second marriage for one of the parents. A child may be unwilling or unable to accept the new circumstances and choose to leave instead.

The issue of runaways has no easy answers. Anyone who encounters a runaway should contact the police immediately. While some may feel they should take in a runaway, to provide aid to a person who has run away from home is a misdemeanor crime known as "harboring a runaway".