16 & Need Out

[Guest]

I am a 16 year old female and I am sick of it here. My parents do not listen to me or my problems. My brother is semi-violent and I cannot take it anymore. Nothing serious has happened, yet, but I need out. At least for a while. I have a few questions though. I am not stupid, I have a future. I do not want to kill it because I need a break from my family. Can I still go to the same school? Or would they immediatley report me and send me back? Can I get a job? Or do I need parent consent? Is there a place that will shelter me for a week or two? Maybe a month while I cool off? Why does the "land of the free" make you wait until 18 to leave? What is so special about that age? Why do they treat teens like idiots who cannot do anything for themselves?

[ccsmod3]

Re: 16 & Need Out

We’re sorry to hear that you are having such a difficult time at home. It sounds like you have been going through a lot and would like a break from your family. We are sorry to here that your brother is semi-violent and it sounds like you are pretty concerned about what he might do. At the same time it sounds like your future is a priority and you would like to remain in school. We are not legal experts, but we will try to answer your questions in a general sense.

School can oftentimes be difficult because parents will sometimes contact the school and schools will notify them of attendance. Enrolling in a new school can be equally difficult because you generally need parental involvement if you are a minor. There may be exceptions and it might actually depend on how your school treats runaway situations.

As far as jobs, you generally need a work permit if you are a minor. You also mentioned shelters which may require parental consent/notification immediately, but if they are lenient sometimes they will give 1-3 days before doing so. Shelters generally work with the youth and the family to prepare for reunification or to discuss other possibilities if home isn’t an option. Below is a link where you can search by state.
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/fysb/co ... locate.htm

It sounds like you are really frustrated with the laws surrounding the age of majority in the United States. It must also be frustrating to feel as though you are not treated fairly given your age. Generally speaking running away itself is not considered a crime, just a status offense. However, many states consider harboring a runaway and contributing to the delinquency of a minor crimes.

If you do decide to leave your parents would generally be able to file a runaway or missing report with the local police department which would go into a national database. Police do not always actively look for runaway youth, but if they do come across someone listed as a runaway they normally just send them back home. If this is not possible sometimes police will temporarily detain youth in either a shelter or juvenile center until arrangements can be made for the youth to go home.

We hope this helps and if you would like to share more or have any other questions, you are welcome to contact us at 1-800-RUNAWAY. We are anonymous, confidential, and available 24/7. Good luck.

-NRS

[Guest]

Re: 16 & Need Out

Since you have a forum called legal issues, it seems to me you should be familiar with the laws. You have not helped me at all.

[ccsmod3]

Re: 16 & Need Out

We are sorry you do not feel as though we were able to help. Unfortunately laws can vary from state to state, city to city, and even county to county. We get calls, bulletins, and emails nationwide, so it would not be possible for us to know the specifics in every area. If you would like more specifics and would like to say your location we would be happy to provide you with legal aid referrals. Also, if there are youth shelters nearby, they may be more familiar with laws specific to your area. Or, as we mentioned before you can call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY.

-NRS

[Guest]

Re: 16 & Need Out

Is it possible to really get a job after running away ? Where ? And what would happen if someone takes a minor out of state ? Im concerned bout my cousins girlfriend his 18 though

[ccsmod4]

Re: 16 & Need Out

Hi,
thanks for posting. It sounds like you are concerned about your cousin or his girlfriend getting a job if they were to runaway. Is that right? An 18 yr old is considered of legal age and would be able to apply for any job they sought. A minor however might need a work permit which requires a parent's signature.
Let us address your question about taking a minor out of state. An act such as transporting a minor accross state lines could be ilegal if the person does not have the parent's or gaurdian's conscent. It would be best to check with law inforcement or legal aid. you may try to seek information on the internet regarding these laws in your state.
You are welcome to call our 24 hour crisisline at 1-800-Runaway we would be happy to try and answer any questions you might have.

Take Care,
NRS

[Guest]

Re: 16 & Need Out

Im 16 and i really do not like my house. My dad yells at me constantly for the littlest things. He is very emotionally abusive, my mom said i can come stay with her and i really want too. I was wondering if I could get in trouble or if my mom could get in trouble if i lived with her. Also i was wondering if my dad could take me out of my moms house and make me live with him.

[ccsmod3]

Re: 16 & Need Out

Thank you for sharing your situation with us. We are sorry to hear that your dad is emotionally abusive and yells at your constantly. We can’t imagine it is easy to deal with that and it sounds like you are in a tough spot right now. Do you have any idea what the current custody situation is between your parents? We are not legal experts; however, sometimes police seem to intervene in these situations and sometimes not. One possibility is that police might say it is a custody situation to be handled in court.

Another possibility is if your dad has sole custody and files you as a runaway, than whoever you stay with could be at risk for harboring you. This could include your mom if she doesn’t have any parental rights. If police find you there, they might send you back to your dad if he is your legal guardian. Although we cannot say for certain what will happen should you decide to stay with your mom, if you’d like more extensive answers you could always call local law enforcement or legal professionals. If you’d like these kinds of resources, we encourage you to call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY. We are anonymous, confidential, and available 24/7. We wish you the best of luck and hope things get better.

-NRS