NCJ Number
81068
Date Published
Unknown
Length
10 pages
Annotation
This document highlights the findings of approximately 150 studies focusing on runaway children, emphasizing reasons for running away, runaways' experiences, and the influence of parents.
Abstract
Almost an equal number of boys (53 percent) and girls (47 percent) run away from home. Reasons for running away include a desire for freedom and adventure, fear of punishment, or constant confict with parents because of failure or truancy in school. The largest number of runaways are 16 years of age, and only 5 percent are 12 years old or younger. More than 60 percent of all runaways return home by the third day, and most have traveled fewer than 10 miles from home. About 25 percent of runaways report that they enjoyed the experience. Just as reasons for running away reveal great variation, so do responses from parents. Almost 50 percent of the parents do not consider that the child has run away, even though the youth left without permission. Of those parents who do take action, the largest number call the police. Relationships in which there is continuing conflict between parents and children should be of the most serious concern. Although specialists in child rearing do not always agree on the best approaches to use, they do agree that parents should exert effective control, tolerate minor misbehaviors, and be relatively warm to children. Parents should also take an active role in helping their children to succeed in school and should try to detach the child from delinquent peer groups. Two figures are included.