NCJ Number
137380
Date Published
1991
Length
222 pages
Annotation
This manual presents options and strategies to communities interested in addressing the sexual exploitation of adolescents and is based on the experience of three projects funded through the California Office of Criminal Justice Planning that provided services to runaway and homeless adolescents in Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco from February 1989 to February 1991.
Abstract
The projects were based on the recognition that the majority of runaways who come to emergency shelters have been severely physically or sexually abused and have run away due to their stressful home environments. Many have been abandoned or told to leave home by a parent. Many turn to prostitution as a way to obtain shelter, food, clothing, or drugs, but few will admit it. During their first 3 years, the 3 projects provided outreach, drop-in, case management, and shelter services to more than 5,000 youths. The manual details alternative organizational structures and staffing, factors to consider in planning and implementing a successful project, innovative project designs and services, and recommended elements of a comprehensive system of care for juvenile prostitutes. Figures, checklists, glossary, and 36 references