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Police Response to Runaway and Missing Children: A Conceptual Framework for Research and Policy

NCJ Number
109481
Journal
Crime and Delinquency Volume: 34 Issue: 1 Dated: (January 1988) Pages: 84-102
Author(s)
C L Maxson; M A Little; M W Klein
Date Published
1988
Length
19 pages
Annotation
This article presents a framework for understanding police responses to runaway and missing children.
Abstract
Its principal components are (1) the legal context, (2) departmental policies and organization, and (3) perceived youth types. Police responses are affected by police perceptions of runaway youth relative to police responsibilities, departmental structure and policy regarding juvenile operations, and statutory constraints. Community characteristics and dispositional resources also influence police perceptions of missing youth cases, and, consequently, responses to them. Several objectives for future research are offered. These must be undertaken with a conceptual understanding of the interrelationships between law, community, department, police values and experiences, and adolescent behavior. (Author abstract)