NCJ Number
59472
Date Published
Unknown
Length
156 pages
Annotation
JUVENILE RUNAWAYS ARE DISCUSSED IN THIS POPULAR BOOK IN TERMS OF REASONS FOR THEIR BEHAVIOR, PROBLEMS THEY ENCOUNTER, SOCIAL SERVICES AVAILABLE TO THEM, AND WHAT PARENTS CAN DO TO PREVENT CHILDREN FROM RUNNING AWAY.
Abstract
JUVENILES RUN AWAY FROM THEIR FAMILIES BECAUSE OF MINOR FAMILY DISPUTES, TROUBLE AT SCHOOL, PARENTS WHOSE CHILD-REARING APPROACH IS OPPRESSIVELY RIGID, PARENTS SO PERMISSIVE THEY SEEM INDIFFERENT TO THE CHILD, PREGNANCY, UNWILLINGNESS TO LIVE WITH THE COURT-ASSIGNED PARENT IN CASES WHERE PARENTS ARE DIVORCED, AND EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS. MANY YOUTHS 'RUN AWAY' BECAUSE PARENTS LITERALLY DRIVE THEM FROM HOME; OTHERS RUN AWAY TO AVOID ABUSE. ALTHOUGH HOME MAY SEEM UNBEARABLE TO THE RUNAWAYS, THE WORLD THEY MUST CONFRONT MAY BE EVEN WORSE. DRUGS, CRIME, PROSTITUTION, AND DESPERATE, DAILY SURVIVAL PRESSURES, NOT TO MENTION TORTURE AND VIOLENT DEATH, HAVE BEEN THE FATE OF MANY RUNAWAYS. ADULTS, AS WELL AS YOUNG PEOPLE THEMSELVES, SHOULD KNOW THE WARNING SIGNS INDICATING A POTENTIAL RUNAWAY: (1) RESEMBLANCE TO THE PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE OF A TYPICAL RUNAWAY (IMPULSIVENESS, LOW FRUSTRATION THRESHOLD, INABILITY TO COMMUNICATE), (2) RADICAL CHANGE IN BEHAVIOR, (3) SHIFT IN PEER RELATIONSHIPS, (4) SUDDEN AND STRONG RESISTANCE TO PARENTAL RULES AND RESTRICTIONS, (5) BEGINNING OR INCREASED DRUG USAGE, (6) INCREASED BEHAVIORAL CHANGES AT PEAK RUNAWAY TIMES, (7) FEELINGS OF HOPELESSNESS, (8) CONSCIOUS THOUGHTS ABOUT RUNNING AWAY AND DISCUSSION OF THESE PLANS, AND (9) POOR SCHOOL PERFORMANCE. AN EXAMPLE OF SHELTERS FOR RUNAWAYS IS THE HUCKLEBERRY HOUSE IN SAN FRANCISCO, WHICH PROVIDES SHELTER, COUNSELING, MEDICAL HELP, AND REFERRAL SERVICES. IF THEIR CHILDREN RUN AWAY, PARENTS SHOULD NOTIFY THE PROPER LAW-ENFORCEMENT AGENCY, AVOID REACTING NEGATIVELY, CONFER WITH THE RUNAWAY'S FRIENDS, AND PREPARE FOR THE FIRST PHONE CALL. PARENTS SHOULD TAKE SERIOUSLY THE NEED FOR GENERAL CHANGE IN THE FAMILY ATMOSPHERE AND SEEK HELP WHEN RUNAWAYS RETURN. THE PROGNOSIS FOR DEALING WITH THE RUNAWAY PROBLEM IS GOOD, IN LIGHT OF INCREASED AWARENESS AND THE GROWTH OF GOVERNMENTAL AND PRIVATE SERVICES FOR RUNAWAYS. CASE HISTORIES ARE PROVIDED TO ILLUSTRATE THE ISSUES DISCUSSED, AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. A LIST OF RUNAWAY HOUSES AND HOT-LINE NUMBERS IS PROVIDED FOR EACH STATE. (RCB)