NCJ Number
85511
Journal
Journal of Family Issues Volume: 1 Issue: 2 Dated: (June 1982) Pages: complete issue
Editor(s)
F I Nye,
C Edelbrock
Date Published
1980
Length
168 pages
Annotation
This special issue is devoted to such questions as who runs away, how running away from home has changed over the years, the consequences of running away, services needed by runaways, and implications for social policy.
Abstract
Eight articles examine the social history of runaways in America, describe the incidence and correlates among children and youth referred for mental health services, and discuss legal and judicial battles affecting runaways. A 12-year followup study of 14 youths who ran away from home indicates that children who ran away more than once showed increasing personal and social dysfunction as young adults, while one article notes that running away is deeply embedded in American history and culture. A typology is presented that classifies runaways according to the level of alienation between child and family and the degree to which the child has internalized running away as a response to stressful situations. One article discusses pregnancy and parenting among runaway girls, while another draws from the concepts and general propositions of exchange theory to explain the varied motivations and behaviors of children who run away from their families. Four brief articles (program notes) highlight continuing care for runaways, decriminalization of running away in Washington State, the teaching-family model, and the coordination of services for runaway youth in New York City. Study data and references for individual articles are provided. See NCJ 85512 for the article on legal and judicial battles.