TINA SANCHEZ WAS A 15-YEAR OLD GIRL WHO LEFT HER HOME IN A SMALL TOWN IN UPSTATE NEW YORK, CAME TO NEW YORK CITY, BECAME A PROSTITUTE, AND WAS FOUND WITH HER THROAT CUT, MURDERED BY HER PIMP. HER CASE IS ONE OF SEVERAL TREATED IN THIS DOCUMENTARY. TEENAGE RUNAWAYS WHO HAVE BEEN APPREHENDED BY POLICE ARE INTERVIEWED TO DETERMINE THEIR MOTIVES FOR LEAVING HOME, FOR COMING TO THE CITY, AND FOR BECOMING PROSTITUTES. OTHER INTERVIEWS ARE CONDUCTED WITH FAMILIES AND FRIENDS OF RUNAWAYS AND POLICE OFFICERS WHO HAVE HANDLED MANY SUCH CASES. MEMBERS OF NEW YORK CITY'S RUNAWAY SQUAD DESCRIBE THE WORK THEY DO, HOW THEY GO ABOUT IDENTIFYING AND APPREHENDING A RUNAWAY, FINDING HER FAMILY, AND SENDING HER HOME. THEY TALK ABOUT THE PIMPS WHO SEEK OUT YOUNG GIRLS WHO ARE OBVIOUSLY NEW TO THE CITY, TAKE CARE OF THEM, TURN THEM INTO PROSTITUTES, AND SEVERELY PUNISH THEM IF THEY TRY TO GET OUT. THE PROBLEMS OF FUNDING RUNAWAY SQUADS ARE EMPHASIZED; VERY LITTLE MONEY IS MADE AVAILABLE TO FINANCE EFFORTS TO LOCATE AND RETURN RUNAWAY GIRLS. THE PROBLEM HAS A VERY LOW PRIORITY IN THE POLICE BUDGET. (VDA)