Reference no: EM133490123

Problem: As outsiders, we often judge things we do not understand, we try to take a glimpse of a child's behavior and classify him/her as disobedient when we do not have the entire picture. Why did the youth run away? Why does he break curfew or skip class? Let me try to help; it was because Tim's stepfather had been sexually abusing him every night since the age of six and he had just turned eleven yesterday. Tim ran away before and was brought back home because he was a minor. He was too afraid to tell anyone what was going on behind closed doors. A status offenders, is a child who is subject to state authority by reasons of illegal acts underage drinking, smoking, truancy, running away, and being disobedient. although status offenders are not committing criminal acts. I feel that sometime kids may have a legitimate reason to leave their house for the reason, of neglect or abuse. However, a case arises, and a youth is just latching out because they want their way and becomes hardheaded, and unmanageable, that is another factor. Juvenile delinquents are offenders that commit crimes ranging from theft to murder. One example: A juvenile delinquent commits a crime they will be charged as an adult and confined in adult prison whereas, if the status offender commits a crime, they are put into a program to rehabilitate them, so they will not become a habitual offender. Adolescents should not be titled as status offenders that stigmatize children. Kids will make mistakes because their minds are not developed, so they tend to lash out or act irrational. They are risk-takers and that can be dangers. I feel that we can do better than calling them a status offender since it is not a crime being committed but more of a behavior issue that needs to be addressed through counseling or therapy.