Missing and Runaway Children

Archive Report

Extent of Runaway Problwm

Growing Concern Over Plight of Runaway

Running away from home is as American as, well, apple pie. The lure of the road has beckoned millions of children from Huckleberry Finn to the flower children of the 1960s. But most children leave home for reasons that have little to do with romance or adventure. Huck Finn, remember, was escaping a father who “got too handy with his hick'ry.” And for most runaways, conditions on the road soon turn dreams of nirvana into the reality of doing without the basic necessities of life.

Although it is impossible to determine the exact number, experts believe that between one million and two million children and young adults run away from home each year. At least 100,000 children ...

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