NCJ Number
53807
Date Published
1977
Length
28 pages
Annotation
TEENAGED RUNAWAYS OF THE 1970'S, ESTIMATED AT 500,000 TO 1 MILLION YEARLY, ARE SEEN AS A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM NEEDING SPECIAL SERVICES.
Abstract
SOME 400 RUNAWAY PROGRAMS ATTEST TO A NEW PHENOMENON ON THE AMERICAN SOCIAL SCENE. OF THE RUNAWAYS IN 1975, 80 PERCENT WERE BETWEEN 15 AND 17, AND 53 PERCENT WERE MALE. RUNAWAYS OF THE 1960'S AND EARLY 1970'S WERE SEARCHING FOR ALTERNATIVE LIFESTYLES, AND OFTEN FOUND DEGRADATION. IN 1977 RUNAWAYS BECAME INVOLVED IN PORNOGRAPHY. EARLY RUNAWAY PROGRAMS, STARTED BY VOLUNTEERS AND FINANCED BY CHURCHES, MERCHANTS, AND COMMUNITY GROUPS, GAVE WAY TO GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIZED PROGRAMS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION ACT OF 1974; FUNDING WAS BETWEEN $10 TO $12 MILLION A YEAR. TODAY, THERE ARE RUNAWAY HOUSES FOR CRISIS SITUATIONS, STAFFED BY SKILLED COUNSELORS. INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING, SOMETIMES SUPPLEMENTED BY PEER GROUP SESSIONS, IS THE PRINCIPAL MEANS USED TO HELP THE RUNAWAY COME TO GRIPS WITH THE SITUATION. OTHER SERVICES INCLUDE COMMUNITY FOSTER HOMES, OUTREACH STREET WORKERS, PROFESSIONALLY TRAINED COUNSELORS, VOLUNTEERS TO STAFF A 24-HOUR CRISIS AND REFERRAL SWITCHBOARD, AND 'ATTENTION HOMES', WHICH HOUSE SMALL GROUPS OF TEENAGERS AND REPLACE DETENTION HOMES. AMERICA'S JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM NEEDS REVAMPING IN DEALING WITH NONCRIMINAL CHILDREN OR STATUS OFFENDERS. FOR EXAMPLE, IN WISCONSIN AS A TYPICAL STATE, 58.2 PERCENT OF THE 6,000 JUVENILES DETAINED IN 1974 WERE STATUS OFFENDERS, AND HERE DETENTION IS OFTEN USED AS A DETERRENT FOR OFFENSES NOT YET COMMITTED. IN MANY SMALL TOWNS, RUNAWAYS ARE DETAINED IN COMMON JAILS WITH ADULT PRISONERS; GIRL STATUS OFFENDERS ARE MORE LIKELY THAN BOYS TO BE HELD IN DETENTION AND GIRLS ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY SENTENCED TO INSTITUTIONS. IN CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS LEGAL RIGHTS OF CHILDREN AND PARENTS ARE OFTEN IGNORED: THE RIGHT TO BE INFORMED OF CHARGES, TO BE REPRESENTED BY COUNSEL, TO CROSS-EXAMINE WITNESSES, TO CHALLENGE EVIDENCE, TO AVOID SELF-INCRIMINATION, AND OTHER ELEMENTS OF DUE PROCESS. HEW HAS RECOMMENDED ELIMINATING STATUS OFFENDERS FROM FAMILY COURT SUPERVISION (40 PERCENT OF THE CASELOAD). THIS REPORT CITES INJUSTICES, NEEDS, AND SERVICES, ALSO GIVES ADVICE TO PARENTS AND STRESSES THE CHALLENGE TO THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC STRUCTURE OF THE FUTURE. OTHER READINGS ON THE TOPIC ARE LISTED ALONG WITH NAME AND ADDRESS IDENTIFICATION OF NATIONWIDE HOTLINES.