17 year old runaway turning 18

[ccsmod4]

RE: running away until your 18...

Hi,
Thanks for contacting the National Runaway Safeline.
We are not experts in the law so we cannot tell you what if any consequences might exist in the situation between your friend and her fiancé. If you like you might try http://www.unitedway.org/ and type in your zip code for the nearest United Way information and referral service in your area.
You can then look for legal aid services where you may be able to get more specific information in the law on this matter.
Does that make sense?

If you’d like you can give your friend our 24hr crisis line number at 1-800-Runaway (786-2929) and we would be happy to explore any options and or legal aid referrals in her area. She can also opt to visit the NRS website www.1800Runaway.org and visit our live chat option available 4:30pm until 11:30pm (CST) to discuss her situation.

Thank you again for contacting the National Runaway Safeline.
Take Care

[Unregistered]

15 turning 16 in june running away

hello im 15 year old in indiana and im so done with my mothers emotional abuse everyday she locks me in the house and tells everyone that i smoke pot and i have sex. and she used to abuse me physically when i was a child until about i was the age of 10 then she stopped but she has continued the emotional abuse. i know i probably sound like a baby but i have lived with it my whole life feeling useless and like i was a piece of crap and i have decided to leave until i was 18. but i don't know if i would be sent to jail if i was caught before i was 18? what would happen if i end up leaving the state and had no contact with my family until i was 18? i don't know i need help i know i am leaving and my boyfriend is coming with me he said that he loves me to much to let me be alone and so i have him. pleas ehelp me

[ccsmod5]

Re: 15 turning 16 in june running away

Hey,
Thanks for reaching out to us and sharing the details of your situation. It sounds like you're going through an intense time and seeking answers. We'll try and help out as best as we can. While we're not experts at ANY situation, perse, we can provide support or find agencies that can.

It sounds like stuff at home with your mom has always been difficult and abusive. No one deserves to be treated that way. And even though your mom has gone from physical abuse to emotional/verbal abuse, that's still not something you should have to go through. Have you told anyone about it? Other than your boyfriend, are there people that support you and see things from you rperspective?

We're not sure what the answer to your situation would be but we can explian what things look like when minors leave home without permission. And since you're 15/16, you'd be considered a minor.

The main thing to look at is that you're being mistreated and verbally/emtionally abused. One thing that you can do is report that abuse. Sometimes social services will welcome that report and investigate it and other times they'll deem it as 'unfounded' or not something they can help with. Social services is the only organization that can pull custody away from an abusive parent.

We're not sure what would happen if you were picked up but if your mom makes a runaway report with the police, they'll probably have to return you home. You may not be put in jail (because running from home usually isn't considered a crime in most states) but a runaway report makes it difficult for you to stay gone from home.

If you'd like to explore your options and talk about what resources are available to you, please call us at 1800-RUNAWAY (786-2929). We're anonymous, confidential and available 24/7. We're here to listen, here to help.

Best,
NRS

[Guest]

17 year old runaway turning 18

I've recently turned 17, I have 2 semesters of highschool to finish, and I currently live in colorado. Now I've already made up my mind to leave home, there isn't anything left for me here. Now if I get caught before I turn 18, my understanding is that I will be brought home and maybe charged with truancy because I have yet to finish highschool. I want to finish highschool more than anything but if I leave I can't enroll in highschool where I will be living because I wouldn't have my parents and everything. So I'm planning on returning when I'm 18 to finish highschool or even get my GED. With that being said, if I was to be brought back before I'm 18, what are the charges I would be faced with, and if I return after I am 18 could I still be charged?

[ccsmod9]

RE: 17 year old runaway turning 18

Thank you so much for contacting the National Runaway Safeline, we really appreciate the opportunity to hear your story. Indeed, we're here to listen; here to help. We want to commend you for taking the courage to reach out to us and for knowing your own situation and self enough to decide what type of environment you'd like to live in and to be brave enough to change your situation and circumstances. No doubt, it was a difficult but necessary choice for you to come to.

As you may know, running away, just like skipping school, is a status offense that comes with its list of consequences for youth who are younger than the age of majority. If you decide to run, your parents could file a runaway report. In many states, local police typically return youth back home to their parents/guardians. There are also risks for those who allow you to stay with them as a runaway. Those helping a runaway could be charged with harbouring a runaway. The penalty varies by state and could include fines. For more information on status offenses like truancy and running away, check out the links below:

http://www.denbar.org/docs/Introduction%20to%20Juvenile%20Law.pdf?ID=124

https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/juvenile-law-status-offenses-32227.html

The first link may be particularly relevant to your situation and your questions about truancy because it states that in Colorado truancy is a status offense for children between the ages of 7-16. As for the consequences of a status offense after one turns 18, this link may prove useful to you:

http://public.getlegal.com/legal-info-center/juvenile-justice/status-offenses

It also appears that you are concerned about finishing your high school education. Due to your fears of truancy, it looks like you are saying you would much rather complete your GED. That is certainly an option--and there are others as well. Under the McKinney Vento Act, homeless youth receive full rights to attend school without the help of a parent or guardian. See this link for more information and to learn the name of Colorado's State Coordinator:

http://www.cde.state.co.us/dropoutprevention/homeless_index

It is our hope that this information would prove useful to you and your situation. Please note the National Runaway Safeline does not make any claim to be legal experts, agents of law enforcement, or lawyers. We are in no way authorized to provide any sort of legal advice. We urge people who need legal consultation to contact their local legal aid clinic and/or local law enforcement. For more individualized support, we urge you to call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY or to use our interactive chat that is available 7 days a week from 4:30pm-11:30pm Central Standard Time.

Best of Luck!

The National Runaway Safeline

[xianong123]

6 Days Til I'm 18

Hello,
I'm turning 18 in 6 days, my mother I feel is emotionally and psychologically abusing me. I feel trapped and I don't know what to do. Should I wait til i'm 18 and leave, or should I leave now?

[ccsmod3]

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

[Unregistered]

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?

[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

[Unregistered]

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

[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

[Unregistered]

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?

[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

[Unregistered]

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 ?

[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