The study sample included 176 males and 132 females who were recruited from two youth detention centers and were interviewed approximately 30 days after being initially detained. Recent experience as a runaway was common, especially among females and Caucasians. Detainees who had recently run away reported more psychosocial and behavioral problems than did those who had not recently run away. The study suggests the need of future research in the nature of links between running away and the various problems common among detainees and other youths with this experience. Because traumatic experiences, psychological distress, substance abuse, and risky sexual behavior could be either precipitants or consequences of running away, vulnerable youth should be followed over an extended period of time to illuminate temporal relations among these variables. Data from prospective studies can assist policymakers in allocating resources to this population. Tables, references