How far would police go to find me?

[ccsmod3]

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out to us at the National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like you are in a difficult situation, and we understand it takes courage to reach out for help.

We aren’t legal experts, but we have general knowledge about running away. In most states, running away isn’t illegal, but what is called a status offense. You can’t get arrested for it but it will mostly likely go on your record until you are 18. The police will only know if you have runaway if your parents/guardians file a police report. We can’t say for sure how the police will respond, but we hear a lot that police will take potential places you might be and will actively search for you. If they come across you, the most likely will return you home to your parents. Sometimes we hear that if you are staying with someone who knows you are a runaway and are not actively trying to return you or finding shelter for you, your guardians/or police can press charges against the people who are housing you, with something that is called harboring. One of our main goals is to make sure you are safe, so if you ever seriously decide to run away and need shelter, resources, or a safe place to go you can find safe locations at nationalsafeplace.org or reach out to us directly and we can find local resources in your area.

We are here for you and will support you in anyway that we can. Please feel free to call into us directly as we can talk further about your situation and find resources that are best for you in your area. Stay strong and you are not alone in this! Our number is 1-800-RUNAWAY we are open 24/7.

-NRS

We hope this response was helpful! We'd love to hear from you about your experience using our crisis email/forum. Your feedback plays an important role in helping us improve our services to support youth and families. Please click the link below to fill out our survey.

[Guest]

How long would poilce search for me? Also how far?

[ccsmod7]

Hi there, thanks for reaching out today.

We are not legal experts, but we can speak generally about runaway laws. If your parent or guardian reports you as a runaway, you typically would be in a police database listed as a runaway until you are 18. Generally, police would continue to look for you in places they suspect you might be. It just depends on the actions of your local police department. There is no measurement for how far police would look for you. If they suspect you are in another police department's jurisdiction, departments can work together.

Please do not hesitate to call or chat us if you have more questions or if you would like to talk through your situation. We are confidential and primarily concerned about your safety.

Best,

NRS

We hope this response was helpful! We’d love to hear from you about your experience using our crisis email/forum. Your feedback plays an important role in helping us improve our services to youth and families. Please click the link to fill out our survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/we_care_what_you_think.

[Guest]

Can I leave 2 weeks before my 18th birthday? Without going into any deep detail, my parents are both verbally/emotionally abusive and they have lately been threatening me. My boyfriend is my only "safe haven." His family is willing and opened to letting me live with them because they have seen the way I'm treated at home. There have been times that I have been medically neglected by them and they say things to purposely hurt me. I would like to leave 2 weeks before my 18th birthday but I would never want to do anything to get my boyfriend or his family in trouble.

[ccsmod10]

Hi,

Thanks for reaching out to us at NRS. It sounds like you are in a difficult situation at home and we appreciate that you have taken the time to contact us.

In most states the age of majority, when a youth is considered an adult, is 18 so if you went to live with your boyfriend now your parents could file a runaway report. It is difficult to know exactly what the police would do in this situation. We often hear that while the legal age of majority is 18, at 17 some local police no longer take runaway reports or make the youth return home if they leave without permission especially as you are so close to turning 18. It is difficult because unfortunately we are not legal experts. A good option to get some information may be to contact your local police department on their non-emergency line. As far as your boyfriend and his family getting in trouble, there is a charge of "Harboring a Runaway". We rarely hear about that charge because police usually always just returns runaways if they come across them.

If you would like to talk more about your situation feel free to call us anytime at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929). We are a completely confidential hotline that is available 24 hours a day

[Guest]

Hi I’m a 14 year old girl and I’ve seriously been thinking about running away bc of my situations here at home so I wanted to know if I do what’s the chances of them finding me

[ccsmod7]

Hello there, thanks for reaching out today. Sounds like you are thinking about running away and want to know the likelihood that you will be found. Unfortunately, everyone's situation is different and their is no clear answer to that question. Here at NRS, we are not legal experts, but we can talk generally about runaway laws and what it looks like to be listed as a runaway.

If you leave home at 14, your legal guardian can file you as a runaway with your local police. Once you are listed as a runaway you are entered into a police database so if a police officer runs your name they can see that you are a runaway. Your guardian can also give them information about your friends and your school, and anywhere else they think you might be. Police could go out to the places to see if you are there. If you are found by police, you typically would be returned home.

Please do not hesitate to call or chat us if you would like to talk to through your situation or if you have any other questions. There might be other options for you depending on your situation.

We are here to listen, here to help.

Best,

NRS

[Guest]

hi i am 16 years old and am planing to leave my house hold because of my living situation i’m leaving with someone my parents knew but they have moved far away what is the chance they would find me if the people have moved to a completely different location

[ccsmod15]

Thank you for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like you’ve been going through such a tough time, but we are here to support you and help you in any way we can.

We’re not legal experts here, and we can’t say for sure what would happen in your situation. You could consider reaching out to your local police department to ask about their policies. We also have legal aid resources if you want to learn more about the laws in your state.

There are also many resources that could help you work through conflict at home, find a safe place if you’re in need, or help you with anything else you may need. If you want to talk more about what’s been going on, or if you would like more information about resources, you can call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY (1-800-786-2929) or chat with us online.

Again, thank you for contacting us. It sounds like you’ve been going through a really hard time, but you’ve shown a lot of strength by working through these challenges and reaching out for help. If you ever need anything in the future, please feel free to call us or chat with us online. We’re always here to listen and here to help.

[Guest]

I have a friend that is currently looking into the option of running away. His phone is essential, as he will need it to communicate with family members on his journey across the state of California. He is concerned at the thought of the police and/or wireless provider being able to track his phone. I was curious as to see if this is a possibility, since this is the limiting factor as to whether or not I go with him on his travels. Much appreciated - Anon.

[ccsmod1]

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out to us at the National Runaway Safeline.

We are not legal experts, and that question could depend on other factors such as how old your friend is and how his local department handles runaway reports, but that is a possibility that the police could track his phone. It would depend also on the actions taken by his parents or guardian. The younger he is, the more likely this would be a possibility. One thing you can do is call or have him call into us at 1-800-786-2929 so we can get more information and be of more help or you could reach out to his local police and inquire about how they handle runaway reports.

Good luck,

NRS

[Guest]

If your parents have reported you as a runaway will it show up as a warrant if police run your name ?

[ccsmod7]

Hello there, thanks for reaching out today with this question. We are not legal experts, but the general answer to your question is that yes they can see you are arrested, but it is not something illegal that would require a warrant. If you are reported as a runaway you would be entered into a police database as a runaway so if an officer ran your name they could see you are a runaway. Running away is usually a status offense so while they can see you listed as a runaway, it does not have the same legal consequences as a warrant. Generally if you are found as a runaway you would be returned home.

He hope this information was helpful!

Please call or chat us if you would like to talk through your situation.

Best,

NRS

[Guest]

Hello. I am 14. Currently I am in New Jersey living with my mom for visitation. My dad has residential custody but he’s emotionally and mentally abusive when I lived with him. In California. I lived with him for a year and he was very abusive. Currently my mom has been fighting for custody in New Jersey. I have court tomorrow to find out if my mom won custody over here. If she doesn’t I am running away tomorrow. I want to know how long will the police look for me. I have somewhere to stay where no one will find me and I’m planning on hiding for 5 years. Till I’m 18. It sounds crazy but I can’t go back to my dad. When will the police stop looking for me? Or how long until I can stop hiding.

[ccsmod4]

Reply: hello. i am 14.


Hello,
Thanks for contacting the National Runaway Safeline.

We understand it takes great courage to reach out, and we appreciate you sharing a little bit about what’s going on.
We are sorry to hear that you have suffered abuse from your father. You do not deserve to be abused, you are not responsible for his actions. It sounds like you are safe with your mom and hoping that she wins at a court hearing for custody. We wish you good luck. It sounds like if things do not go in your favor that you might run away.

Just so that you know we are not legal experts and only can provide some general legal information when it comes to someone running away or someone assisting/aiding a person running away.

Someone under 18 that leaves home, the parent/guardian may file them as a runaway and they may be returned home. Also, those that a reported runaway stays with may run the risk of being charged with harboring a runaway. Anyone found to be assisting or aiding someone to run away may also find themselves at risk legally.
A runaway report may stay active until the youth is found or they turn 18 while being away.
For more specifics on the law, you might consider contacting the local non-emergency number for the police. You might also look for a legal aid center in the area. They may be able to answer any legal questions on the subject.

Your safety is important. If you would like to talk more about your situation and your plan, you are welcome to call or chat with NRS.
Contact us at 1-800-Runaway (786-2929) or www.1800Runaway.org (Live chat).

We would be happy to explore some options with you.

Be safe and take care,
NRS

[Guest]

If I run away will I be looked for and can I get a job??

[ccsmod10]

Hi there,

Thank you so much for taking the time out of your day to reach out to us here at the National Runaway Safeline. From your email to us here, we can see that you have very similar questions to a lot of our callers and you’re looking for some answers. Hopefully we can provide you with some help for your situation.

Now we aren't legal experts here but like we tell a lot of our callers, the laws on that specific subject of running away vary from state to state. Generally what typically happens in each state is if you are below the legal age of majority (18 in most states except Alabama and Nebraska [19 or upon marriage], and Mississippi [21]), your parents or legal guardian would be able to make a runaway report in the event that you do run away. Since it’s only considered a statues offense and not a crime to run away, the only thing that would happen is that the police will pick you up and bring you back home and since you are so young that would most likely happen

It sounds like you might some specific questions that you want to ask us about being able to get a job. It’s hard to talk to just anyone one about what has been going on. Please rest assured that we are completing confidential. So anything that you share with us will stay between us.

We hope this response was helpful!

[Guest]

I am 17 and have run away from home. Im staying with someone on and off and sometimes even in his moms car at night if he cant sneak me in. Sometimes I stay in a shelter but not much. Its been 2 months and am afraid because I stabbed my dad when he abused my mom. He had to go to a hospital so there is a report but I don't know if he made a assult report on me so I dont know if police are looking for me. Can I charge him with assult?

[ccsmod7]

Hello there, thanks for reaching out today.

Sounds like you have been through so much, and you are understandably scared of your dad. It sounds like you are really brave and helped keep your mom safe. You so deserve to live in a stable living environment free from violence. Here at NRS, we truly want to be a support for you during this difficult time.

We are not legal experts, but we can answer your question generally. It might be difficult for you to press those charges against him after the fact, but you do have the right to report the abuse at home to Child Protective Services (CPS). To learn more about your reporting options you can always call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY or the expert child advocates at Child Help 1-800-422-4453.

If you call or chat us we can talk through your situation and help try and brainstorm your options. We have a national database of youth shelters if you ever need a safe place to go. Your safety is our #1 concern and we want to see you through this. You are not alone.

We hope to hear from you.

Best,

NRS

[Guest]

I’m thinking of running away.... I’m 11 years old and my dad passed a couple months ago it was suicide.i get bullied a lot in school and I have no friends there.I have cut my wrist a lot and my mom knows about it.i get really depressed my mom rarely nice to me....she is always on the phone to another man and I feel like she never has time for me she’s even said she would be moving with him.... I have tried suicide that nobody knows about. My mom always swears at me and is horrible to me everyday.i live in England,,Newcastle,,,,I’m not sure where to runaway to! Can you tell me some places? Will you tell anyone about this? Please don’t!!!! What should I take?

[ccsmod5]

Hi, there,
Thank you so much for reaching out. It takes a lot of courage to share your story. It sounds like you’re going through some really difficult things right now. It must be painful to lose your dad to suicide. You mention that you have tried suicide. We take this very seriously and want you to know that you are not alone. There is love and support out there; you deserve to feel safe and comfortable sharing your feelings. We encourage you to confide in an adult that you trust, like a teacher or other adult at school. It sounds like you and your mom have a tense relationship right now, but she could also be a good person to confide in; she can help you get the help and support you need. We encourage you to call your local police if you ever feel like you are in danger of hurting yourself.

As for running away, we can only give limited information. The National Runaway Safeline is located in the United States of America (USA). Our knowledge of helpful community based resources and our understanding of youth in crisis related laws is limited to the USA. Since you are located in a country outside of the USA, you can use this link to find a youth helpline in or around your country: http://www.childhelplineinternationa...where-we-work/
We hope that by reaching out to a local resource, you are able to get the support you need from an organization that understands the laws and circumstances that affect youth in your country.

You are resilient, you are strong, and there is hope. You’re not alone. Stay safe and take care of yourself.

--NRS

[Guest]

I’ve alredy left home and I’m really just wondering how long the police will look for me if they know I’m not in danger and I’ve already made the local news

[ccsmod4]

Reply: I’ve alredy left home

Hello,
Thank you for writing to us here at the National Runaway Safeline.
We are not legal experts here but we can speak in general terms. If you are under 18 and leave home without permission, your parent/guardian may file a runaway report with the police. What actions the police take once you are filed as a runaway can vary a lot from state to state and even city to city so we cannot predict exactly what would happen in your case. Generally speaking, if you encounter a police officer while reported as a runaway, you will likely be returned home. However, in that case there may be services (family counseling, etc.) available to you as a youth in crisis/runaway but again, police procedures related to offering those services can be different based on your location or the details of your situation. Another thing to consider is that while running away is not a crime, a legal adult who allows you to stay with them may be putting themselves at risk for being charged with harboring a runaway. One way to find out the laws in your area is to call your local police and ask what their policies are regarding runaway youth.

Take care,
NRS

We hope this response was helpful! We’d love to hear from you about your experience using our crisis email/forum. Your feedback plays an important role in helping us improve our services to youth and families. Please click the link to fill out our survey: Your Opinion Matters to Us