Teenage Runaways deflates popular misconceptions that runaways are incorrigible delinquents who want to leave home, that they make impulsive decisions to leave their families, and that they wish to never return. Reporting on a qualitative study of 26 runaways in a shelter in New England, this book reveals that many teenage runaways leave home in search of safety and freedom from what they consider abusive treatment, whether physical, sexual, or emotional.

In Teenage Runaways, you will discover valuable information about who these children are, why they are running away, and what you can do to help.