Out of state or contry

[Guest]

i am fed up at home and ready to run i have $ ive saved up over the last year and i am wondering what the legality is if i run from this country or leave the state also what can i do for school i am in NC and want to run to AK or the farthest away i can what should i do?

[ccsmod1]

Re: Out of state or contry

Thanks for writing on our bulletin boards. You have several questions and we’ll do our best to offer you what we know. However, it’s important to note that we aren’t lawyers nor do we have a legal background. We can’t give you specific legal advice or information, but we do know generally how the law works when it comes to runaways.

When a minor runs away from home, their parents/guardians have the right to file a runaway report with the police. This report goes into a national police database called the NCIC. This means that no matter where the youth goes, the police will be able to see that the youth is a runaway and where he/she belongs. Generally, when a runaway youth is found, they are returned back to their parents/guardians. If the youth is too far away from home for the police to drive them, they may be placed in juvenile detention until their parents/guardians can arrange for transportation back home. There aren’t generally legal consequences for running away, but in some states there are petitions that parents/guardians can file to get help from the courts. In NC there is an “undiciplined youth petition” that parents/guardians can file with the local courts when if they feel the youth needs intervention from the local courts.

As far as leaving the country goes, we’re not entirely sure. We would imagine that if a youth is found in a county where he/she is not legally supposed to be there that they would deport him/her back to the United States. It may also be difficult to get into another country as a minor, as they often do require a passport and may require that a parent/guardian is with the youth.

When it comes to enrolling in a new school as a runaway, this may be difficult. Most schools do require your previous school records in order to enroll you. Records usually have to be obtained by the youth’s legal guardian. However, there is a law, the “McKinney Vento Act” that was established to help homeless children and youth enroll into school. One of their definitions of “homeless youth” are youth that are unaccompanied, which can include runaways. To get enrolled under this act, a youth generally has to go through the school districts homeless youth liaison. The act states that a youth should be able to enroll without obtaining records initially, but after enrolling the school may need more information. There’s no guarantee that they wouldn’t have to turn in a runaway youth if the school has a policy on how they handle runaway situations. To get more information and to obtain a list of all the homeless youth liaisons go to: http://www.serve.org/nche/m-v.php

We hope this information helps you. If you want to get specific legal information for NC, here’s a couple legal aid hotlines. Legal Aid of North Carolina, Fayetteville Office 1-800-824-5340 or Legal Aid of North Carolina, Advocates for Children’s Services in Raleigh 1-800-777-8569.

You seem to be really thinking through what running away might be like, so we commend you for that. Just remember that running is a big decision and it’s good to think about all the pros and cons before making the decision to do so. Have you considered other options besides running? If you want to talk to someone confidentially and anonymously about what’s going on that’s making you want to runaway as well as possible options we’re always here for that. Our hotline is available 24/7. If you do decide to runaway and need help, our number is free from any payphone.

Best of luck. Remember, you’re not alone in all this.