Runaway youths who come to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., where more than 250 interviews were conducted, come for the sun, sand, and surf; they are sexually exploited and emotionally abused. The limited response of the city to the growing problem is criticized, and Florida statutes that require the Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services to provide emergency shelter care for the protection of children at risk are reviewed. The average runaway is reported to return home within 72 hours upon resolving intrafamily problems; however, about 1 in 3 runaways is abandoned by his/her parents or is forced to leave home; about 2 of 3 leave on their own. In Florida, 2 of 3 are likely to commit criminal acts to survive. Most juvenile prostitutes are runaways. Generally, runaways adopt a nomadic and transient lifestyle. They live from day to day with no apparent consideration of where their lives are headed or the consequences of their behavior. The need for society to recognize and deal with the problem is emphasized.