Running away is not a crime
. You cannot get arrested or charged with a crime for running away from your family. However – and this is a big however – some states consider running away a status offense. A status offense is something considered illegal because of a teen's underage status.
When can you legally runaway?
A runaway is a minor (someone under the age of
18
) who leaves home without a parent's or guardian's permission, and is gone from the home overnight. In most states, running away is not a crime; however, runaways and their parents or guardians can face legal consequences.
Is it illegal to let a runaway stay with you?
Allowing a minor who has run away from home to stay in your house without alerting the police and their parents,
is illegal
. You could be charged with Harboring a Runaway (also called Aiding and Abetting), or Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor.
What state is it illegal to run away?
State Statutes
Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Nebraska, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming
, consider running away from home a status offense. That means it is against the law when a youth under 18 years old runs away from home.
Should you call the police if your child runs away?
As soon as you learn that your child has run away,
report them as missing to your local police
. Ask your police agency to conduct a search within a mile radius of where your child was last seen or believed to have gone.
How long do police look for runaways?
If you are under seventeen years of age,
the police will continue to look for you indefinitely
. So if you can go to a social worker at a hospital or a police authority if there is abuse, that would be best.
Can a teenager get in trouble for running away?
Running away is not a crime.
You cannot get arrested or charged with a crime
for running away from your family. However – and this is a big however – some states consider running away a status offense. A status offense is something considered illegal because of a teen's underage status.
What is considered a runaway?
A runaway is a minor or (depending upon the local jurisdiction)
a person under a specified age
, who has left their parents or legal guardians without permission.
Can I run away at 16?
In California
it is not considered a crime for a juvenile
(any person under the age of 18) to runaway from home. … Conversely, under Canadian law, when a child runs away from home it is not considered a crime. It is not a crime for a juvenile to run away from home in California.
Can my parents call the cops if I leave at 18?
Now that you are 18, your parents cannot control your movements. The simple act of leaving your home, and associating with an adult is not criminal. If your parents call the cops about such a circumstance,
nothing will happen
.
Can a runaway go to school?
The McKinney-Vento Act requires schools to
enroll unaccompanied youth in school immediately
, even if they lack a parent or guardian or documents typically required for school enrollment. … the runaway youth are listed as missing children.
What happens if a runaway crosses state lines?
An out-of-state runaway may be returned to his or her home state in one of three ways:
Release to a parent or legal guardian within 24 hours
(if there is no abuse or neglect) Voluntary Return (with the juvenile's consent)
What can I do if my teenager runs away?
Search your house and make sure your teen is not hiding somewhere.
Call the police right
away. Contrary to popular opinion, you don't have to wait 24 hours before reporting your teen as missing. Request the investigators to put your child in the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) Missing Persons File.
Where can a runaway kid go?
To help locate a runaway shelter, call
the National Runaway Safeline at 1-800-RUNAWAY anytime
. They will respond via phone, text, or email. You can also search online for a listing of shelters in your area. Family & Youth Services Bureau.
What can I do if my 16 year old refuses to come home?
Call the police
. – This sends the message to teenagers that it is not okay to leave home without permission. – The police are responsible for the safety of citizenry; your child is not safe if you do not know where he is. – Parents are responsible for what happens to their child even when he is not at home.
Can police track a Runaways phone?
Because running away is not a crime,
court orders for cellular telephone records cannot be obtained
. If the cellular telephone that your runaway might be using is in your name, you can get the call records without a court order.
