This publication provides information about status offenses and discusses how to effectively handle these cases.
This publication provides promising examples of State and local reform to raise awareness about status offenses and examine how to effectively handle these cases. Young people who run away from home, skip school, or engage in other risky behaviors that are only prohibited because of their age are handled by the juvenile justice system. Responding to these cases, called "status offenses," in the juvenile justice system can lead to punitive outcomes that are out of proportion to the young person's actions and do nothing to assess or address the underlying circumstances at the root of this misbehavior. Courts are not equipped to assess or address the underlying circumstances at the root of this misbehavior, and punitive sanctions can do more harm than good. 15 notes