17 year old runaway turning 18

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RE:

Hello,

Thanks for reaching out to us. It seems like you have a question about age guidelines and running away. If you are under the age of 18, your legal guardian(s) can file a runaway report and the police are about to bring you back to them. It is not against the law to runaway and should not face legal consequences for simply running away. However, any adult you are staying that is aware of a runaway report being filed may be charged with harboring a runaway. As soon as you turn 18, you are able live wherever you like without requiring the permission of a guardian. If you have more legal questions that needed to be answered, you can call Child Help USA at 1-800-422-4453.

You can also call us if you would like to speak more about your situation or have more questions. We are available 24/7 at 1-800-RUNAWAY or you can chat with us from 4:30pm-11:30pm at www.1800runaway.org. We wish you the best of luck and do not hesitate to call us in the future.

Best,
NRS

In the state of Arizona if a 17 year old runs away how many months till they turn 18 till the cops can't do anything about it?

[ccsmod6]

RE: harbouring runaway

Hi

Thanks for contacting the National Runaway Safeline. It seems that you want to know if your girlfriend can leave at 16 without getting herself or anyone else into trouble. The answer to that question will depend on the city and state she is located in. In some states and in even certain counties, youth are able to legally move out of their homes at the age of 17 despite the age of majority being 18. In the state of New York, 18 is the age of majority.

If she is unable to legally move out until the age of 18 in New York, then her parents still have the right to file her as a runaway. If a runaway report is filed, charges can be filed against someone suspected of abiding or harboring a runaway. To determine if she can legally move out at 17, she can try contacting her local police nonemergency hotline. If a runaway can be filed for her, then there is a possibility that anyone assisting her have charges filed against them. How likely will the charges hold up in court is another question and unfortunately we do not know

We hope the information provided helps. Remember we are available 24/7 and can be reached by dialing 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929). Our hotline is confidential, anonymous, and toll-free. In addition to our hotline, you can receive live assistance via CHAT between 4:30pm and 11:30pm.

Best Wishes
~NRS

harbouring runaway

Hi I have a girlfriend who is 16 she'll be 17 June 10th and she lives in New York. She is wanting to runaway and come live with me in North Carolina. The question is can I be charged I am 19 she is willing to run away and I'm willing to take her in please respond asap...

[ccsmod3]

Re: can I be in trouble?

Hello there,

We're glad you decided to reach out to us at the National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like you have a lot of legal questions regarding what would happen if your girlfriend ran away to your home. We are not legal experts, but do have a general understanding of what tends to happen in runaway situations. However, the only way to know for sure would be to contact local law enforcement or a lawyer/legal aid.

Running away is normally just a status offense; however, harboring a runaway is often considered a crime. If your girlfriend leaves without permission, her mom may decide to file her as a runaway. Runaway reports generally get entered into the NCIC (National Crime Information Center). How much action police take after that though may vary. Some police actively look while other departments come across runaways in other instances such as truancy, traffic violation, other crimes, etc. We are here to discuss your girlfriend's situation in more detail. If we know the exact city or town, we can even offer to look up resources like the non-emergency police or sheriff's department as well as legal aid.

We can be reached directly either by calling us 24/7 at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929.) Or, if you prefer online communication we have Live Chat every evening from 4:30 to 11:30pm CST. All you have to do is click on the red Live Chat button on our homepage, http://www.1800runaway.org. Good luck!

-NRS

can I be in trouble?

What are the Florida state laws? My girlfriend does not like being with her crazy mother. She uses her and takes her for granted. She turns 18 6-7 months from now. If she runs away and have her live with me but she doesn't show up when the cops come what would happen? Her mom would not be giving her permission to be with me but know that she is safe and with me as well as the cops know too. At that point she is a runaway? can I get in trouble for that? Being caught with her? Do they stop trying to find her after a while and give up on trying to bring her home?

[ccsmod10]

RE:

Hello,

We’re glad that you reached out to us with your question today and we’ll try to help you as best as we can. We are not legal experts here so we can’t tell you anything for certain but we can talk generally. Since you are still 17, if you’re parents call the police and file a runaway report, the police will have to return you to your legal guardians who it sounds like are your parents. If your parents give consent for you to live with your grandmother that is fine but they would still be your guardians and unfortunately can take that consent away at any time. It’s kind of a complicated issue and might be better answered by a legal expert but unfortunately since we don’t know you’re city and state we can’t provide you with that. If legal advice or expertise is something you are interested in you can always call us at 1800-RUNAWAY or chat us from the time of 4:30-11:30 CST at www.1800runaway.org. Hope this helps and best of luck!

-NRS

If your 17 and will be 18 in 9 months and you leave to live with your grandmother, and your parents call the police but you don't want to go back home what would happen ?

[ccsmod9]

RE: Running away after graduation

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out to us and posting on the NRS bulletin board. You sound smart and curious about your future. What’s going on that is making you feel like leaving after graduation?

We are here to help and support you in any way we can, to talk about what you are going through, as well as to talk through options.

We are not legal experts at NRS, but we can tell you that your parents may be able to file a runaway report on you if you leave home. This is called a status offense, which means the police could return you home. It also does not stay on your permanent record once you turn 18. If you’d like to leave home, at NRS, we can help discuss options, including where you might stay when you leave home.

Please feel free to contact us on our hotline. That number is 1800-RUNAWAY. You can also online chat with us from the hours of 4:30-11:30 pm CST at our website at www.1800runaway.org.

Best of luck,

NRS

Running away after graduation

I’m going to turn 18 in November, I live in Hawaii and I graduate in May. I’m planning on leaving after graduation. What are the odds I’ll be able to stay hidden for 6 months? Will I have a record? If so, will it still be there when I turn 18? Will I be able to find work once I turn 18? What will happen if im caught before I turn 18?

[ccsmod4]

RE:

Hello,

Thank you for contacting the National Runaway Safeline .

We are not legal experts so we can only give you a generalization of what the law says in most states that recognize the majority age at being 18yrs. That being said once you turn 18yrs of age you are considered an adult. So if you are suggesting that if you were to leave home at 17yrs of age and your parents reported you as a runaway could or would you still be returned home by the police even after you've reached your 18th birthday? Well in most states running away is known as a status offense and as such does not stay on your permanent record so the runway report may be removed once the juvenile turns 18yrs of age. This however may differ if the juvenile is under court supervision or on probation orders.(check with your local law enforcement for more specific information concerning the law and runaways).
Does that make sense?

You are welcome to contact NRS at our 24hr crisis line 1-800-Runaway (786-2929) to speak with someone about possible legal information and or referrals in your area.
NRS also features a live chat option via our website www.1800Runaway.org from 4:30pm until 11:30pm (CST) 7 days a week.

We hope we have been helpful in answering your question.
Thank you again for contacting the National Runaway Safeline.
Take Care

While iam 17 ill be 18 on aug 17 if I run now will I get in trouble when I come back when iam 18

[ccsmod10]

RE: Runaway

Hello,

Thank you for reaching out to us during this difficult time. We are sorry to hear you are being verbally abused, nobody deserves to feel unwanted in their own home. Just to let you know, we are not legal experts. Technically once you turn 18 you are considered legally an adult. This means that you cannot be reported as a runaway. It sounds like you have a safe place to go and be supported. If you have additional questions or would like to further discuss your situation or need additional resources please don't hesitate to contact us at 1-800-RUNAWAY(786-2929) or by live chat at www.1800runaway.org from 4:30pm-11:30pm Central Standard Time. We look forward to hearing from you and wish you the best of luck.

- NRS

Runaway

Can i leave my parents, i have been verbally abused by both my step dad and mom. i am 18 but still in highschool, but i do graduate in 2 months and turn 19 in 3. My girlfriend and her family has taking me in and i have a job so i can support myself and under another parental Guidance?

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Re: 6 Days Til I'm 18

Hello there,

It sounds like you've got a lot going on with your mom right now. We're glad you found us and decided to reach out for help. We cannot tell you what to do, but we can go over pros and cons of what might happen if you leave. It can sometimes be easier from a legal standpoint if you do find you are able to wait until you turn 18. However, we do care about your safety and you don't deserve to be emotionally and psychologically abused. Depending on your city/state, there may be a runaway/homeless youth shelter that can help you in the meantime. One place to start is National Safe Place, http://www.nationalsafeplace.org/ to see if there is a Safe Place shelter near you.


To continue talking about your situation, you are welcome to Live Chat with us now by clicking on the red Live Chat button here: http://www.1800runaway.org/. Live Chat is open every day from 4:30 to 11:30pm CST. If you have any technical problems you can always call us 24/7 at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) too. Good luck!

-NRS