NCJ Number
59597
Journal
Social Service Review Volume: 52 Issue: 2 Dated: (JUNE 1978) Pages: 227-243
Date Published
1978
Length
17 pages
Annotation
OUTCOMES AND SOCIAL AND REFORM IMPLICATIONS OF THE RUNAWAY YOUTH ACT OF 1974, SERVICE RESPONSE BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND THE LEGITIMIZATION OF AN UNDERGROUND SERVICE FOR RUNAWAYS ARE ADDRESSED.
Abstract
FACTORS INFLUENCING PASSAGE OF THE RUNAWAY YOUTH ACT IN 1974 WERE THE NUMBER OR RUNAWAYS IN THE 1960'S, GROWING PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR COMPARATIVE NORMALITY, AND HEIGHTENED FEARS FOR THEIR SAFETY. THE ACT MIRRORED THE EXISTING RUNAWAY HOUSE MODEL, ENCOURAGING THE DIVERSION OF RUNAWAYS FROM THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM. THE INADEQUACY OF THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM FOR RUNAWAYS BECAME APPARENT DURING THE 1960'S WHEN POLICE AND COURTS HAD DIFFICULTY IN DEALING WITH THE INCREASED VOLUME OF YOUTH IN TRANSIT. IN CONTRAST TO DETENTION CENTERS FOCUSING ON PUNISHMENT FOR MISBEHAVIOR, RUNAWAY HOUSES IN THE 1960'S ADOPTED A STANCE OF NONPUNITIVE SHELTER AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION. THEY TYPICALLY OFFERED EMERGENCY HOUSING ON A 24-HOUR BASIS AND PROVIDED FOOD, COUNSELING, MEDICAL AND LEGAL HELP, AND MEDIATION BETWEEN PARENTS AND YOUTH. GROWING AWARENESS OF PROBLEMS EXPERIENCED BY RUNAWAYS AND THE POTENTIAL OR RUNAWAY HOUSES LED TO FEDERAL ATTENTION. WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE RUNAWAY YOUTH ACT, LOCAL AND STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES WERE ENCOURAGED TO CREATE INFORMAL RELATIONS BETWEEN RUNAWAY SERVICE AGENCIES AND THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM. THE ACT STRESSES NORMAL ASPECTS OF RUNAWAY BEHAVIOR, DIRECTS FUNDS TO ALTERNATIVE SERVICES, LEGITIMIZES SERVICES AND TREATMENT METHODS, AND REQUIRES FORMERLY UNDERGROUND AGENCIES TO ADOPT ESTABLISHED ACCOUNTING AND REPORTING TECHNIQUES. EVENTS LEADING TO PASSAGE OF THE ACT ILLUSTRATE THE PROCESS BY WHICH BEHAVIOR CONSIDERED DEVIANT CAN BE BROUGHT INTO THE RANGE OF BEHAVIOR CONSIDERED NORMAL FOR THE PURPOSE OF TREATING THAT BEHAVIOR IN A NONPATHOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK. THESE EVENTS REFLECT TWO MAJOR THEMES: (1) NORMALIZATION OF THE OFFICIAL RESPONSE TO RUNAWAYS, REFLECTING THE GROWING BELIEF THAT THE LEGAL SYSTEM DOES NOT HELP WITH PROBLEMS OF STATUS OFFENDERS SUCH AS RUNAWAYS AND INCREASING ACCEPTANCE OF THE USUALLY NONPATHOLOGICAL NATURE OF RUNAWAY BEHAVIOR; AND (2) LEGITIMIZATION OF AN UNDERGROUND ALTERNATIVE SERVICE. OUTCOMES OF THE ACT HAVE BEEN BOTH POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE. PARADOXICALLY, THE LEGISLATED SOLUTION TO PROBLEMS OF RUNAWAYS HAS BEEN ACHIEVED BY ADOPTING A NARROW PROBLEM-ORIENTED FOCUS THAT LIMITS THE FLEXIBILITY OF HOUSES FOR RUNAWAYS. NOTES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)