August 2005 Volume 1, Number 4 Table of Contents  Is it Against
the Law to Run Away from Home? By Kara A Nyquist  In most
jurisdictions it is not a crime to runaway from home, except in
9 states ( Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Nebraska, South Carolina,
Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Wyoming). In these jurisdictions it
is considered a “status offense”, which means it is against the
law only when someone under 18 years old does it.  However, in
jurisdictions in which it is not against the law to runaway away
a youth may still end up in court. Youth that repeatedly run
away may be classified as a habitual runaway in need of states
if the state determines that their parents are not meeting the
youth’s basic needs. The court process has different names in
different states, but it is commonly called a “Child in Need of
Supervision” (CHINS) process. Runaway youth are considered CHINS
in 34 states. Although the CHINS process can provide services to
youth and families, it can also result in punishments, such as
fines, suspen