“Youth who run away from home, routinely skip school, and engage in other risky behaviors [status offenses] that are prohibited precisely because of their young age are acting out in ways that should concern the adults in their lives. They need appropriate attention-but not from the juvenile justice system” (p. 1). Sections of this report discuss: the rise and fall of status offense cases handled in court (1995-2010); common status offenses-truancy, liquor law violations, runaway, ungovernability, and curfew violations; why courts are poorly suited to deal with status offense cases; what the characteristics are of an effective community-based approach for assisting youngsters charged with status offenses; whether community-bases responses work-yes if done well with examples being in Florida, New York State, Calcasieu Parish (Louisiana), Rapides Parish (LA), and Clark County (Washington State).
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