Running away a crime

Is running away from home a crime? It is an abusive one where reports have been filed with police and social workers and reported to school counselors, with nothing being done. As a matter of last resort I ran away, but now the police are after me and my parents are angry, even though they don't care about me (it looks bad to the neighbors)
Can the police or my parents charge me with a crime and put me in jail if I go back.
Thanks

[ccsmod1]

Re: Running away a crime

A Reply from NRS

Thanks for posting. It sounds like there’s some hard stuff going on at home and you’re tried to report it, but nothing has happened. What exactly do you mean by ‘abusive’? It isn’t fair that you are being treated badly at home. It sounds like you’re talked to a lot of other people about what goes on at home. Why do you think nothing has happened when you’ve reached out for help in the past?

You mentioned that you ran away and are now worried that your parents or the police will charge you with a crime and put you in jail. Generally speaking, running away is not illegal. In many states it’s called a status offense. This basically means you’re not allowed to do it because you’re a minor, but it’s not necessarily against the law. Usually what happens to runaways when they get caught is they are brought back home. Sometimes, they can be held in juvenile detention for 24 or 48 hours, but it’s not usually something the police will lock you up for.

Are you in a safe place right now? What would you like to see happen? There’s an organization that might be able to assist you, called Justice for Children. They are an advocacy agency that can sometimes help when Social Services isn’t working. In your case, it sounds like nothing has been done to make your home a safe place for you. Their number is 1-800-733-0059. Just so you know they’re not 24 hours, but rather are open during the day.

Our hotline, 1-800-RUNAWAY, is available 24/7. We can talk to you about your situation and help you come up with possible options. Sometimes too it just helps to have someone to talk to. Just so you know, we don’t trace our calls and never keep records of who calls us. Someone is always available. Call anytime.

[Muahahaha]

Just wondering..

Since running away is not a crime, will other people, such as adults, get into trouble for helping minors run away?

[ccsmod5]

Re: Just wondering..

Hey,
Thanks for reaching out to us. Sounds like you’re trying to figure out what to do and how it will affect you and other people.

You’re correct, running away isn’t a crime but it can still affect the person that leaves home. You may not get detained nor arrested but there’s a chance that a police report can get filed on you. If that does happen, that’s when there’s a potential for the people housing to get in trouble. It’s called ‘harboring a runaway’ and really, the severity of consequences for those folks varies. The best way to find out what are the consequences for the runaway and the person harboring the runaway is to call the local police department. They can usually talk about options and what a youth can and can’t do.

Sometimes it’s even more complicated than that and it might be good to talk about it some more. If you’d like to explore what options are available to you, please call us at 1800-RUNAWAY (786-2929). We’re anonymous, confidential and available 24/7. We can talk about other things you may be able to do.

We’re here for you.

NRS