Runaway youth: a study based on four hundred and nine runaways and rights violation as a causative factor

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to ascertain to what extent the deprivation of a juvenile’s natural rights motivated the juvenile to run away from home. To determine what factor, or factors, impels a juvenile to leave home is extremely difficult. The manifestation of the cause is seen and can be stated but, a conclusion based on such manifestation is often inaccurate. The primary purpose of this study was to screen out the apparent overt causes using seven basic human rights as gauge. A secondary purpose was to determine if a basic right was violated by the parents and if such violation was detected which or how many rights were denied the youth. Methods: Data for this study were obtain from missing person reports received by the City of mesquite Police Department in Mesquite, Texas. These Reports were tabulated and each was investigated for a cause that denied one of the seven basic rights of the juvenile. A period of two years was used in the study and during this tie all reports were assigned to, and investigated by, the researcher. In order to determine if a basic right had been deprived the runaway juvenile, the researcher depended upon: What reasons were given by the runaway for leaving home? What reasons did the parents give for their child to leave home? What the police investigation revealed as the reason for the departure. Findings: The reports revealed that a vast majority of the juveniles who leave home, and who are reported as a runaway, have been deprived of a basic right which was a factor to cause their desire to desert their home.