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Children who are abused, neglected or dependent clearly belong in the child protection system. Children who commit crimes are dealt with by the juvenile justice system. And yet there are those youths that have not been classified as falling into any of the categories already mentioned but who may exhibit characteristics of them all. These youths are to as status offenders. Status offenders are youths who commit offenses that, if committed by adults, would not be considered crimes. A prime example of a status offender is a runaway. Many have been victims of neglect and/or abuse. These children are sometimes viewed as the victim within the family and sometimes as the perpetrator of having wreaked family havoc. In some jurisdiction status offenders are helped by the child protection system; in others, by the juvenile justice system; and still in others, by social service agencies or in a combination of these three systems. Whether it was the child’s choice or whether they were forced or kicked out of their homes, they are from that point on labeled runaway. When many people hear the term runaway they automatically think “delinquent”. There are actually many differe