Julian Maldonado was convicted on charges of forced prostitution on the third of May, 2011, and jailed for ten years. He was accused of coercing a runaway minor to engage in what some refer as the world's oldest profession. His wife, who had been charged along with him, was also jailed for eight years. The case placed in sharp focus the vexing problem of teenage runaways.
Minors escape from home or substitute care placements such as foster or group facilities for many reasons. Some are chased away by their parents or other legal caregivers, and not allowed to go back home. Others leave and do not come back on time. The majority, however, leave on their own volition. Some may be abducted by an absent guardian, or by strangers.
Going by data made available by the American government, there were slightly over one and half million runaways in 1999. Most fall into the fifteen to seventeen year old age bracket. Very few were below fourteen. While kids from any socioeconomic background can run away from home, the large majority come from lower income and working class backgrounds. Experts speculate that the pressure of dealing with resource constraints may be underlying this fact.
The same information shows that kids from foster and group homes are more likely to take off as compared to those from more normal backgrounds. Older children from group homes and similar facilities are also more likely to take off than those who are younger; the chances of this happening are higher in the period after placement. Kids with such backgrounds will run away further away as compared to those who live with a parent or guardian.
The image many people have in their minds of children who have escape from home is of someone fending for themselves on the streets. Strictly speaking, this is not true; most teenagers take off to the home of a friend or relative they can trust. A very small number do end up homeless, and it is this category that gives headaches to law enforcement agencies, as they are most likely to end up in the hands of criminal gangs and other unsavory characters, and are likely to end engaging in criminal activity themselves.
While a variety of law enforcement agencies are concerned with the problem of street kids, they rarely assign high priority to such incidents. Police officers feel that most guardians are unable to discipline their children, and leave that responsibility to the criminal justice system. Also, most minors that take off from home rarely want to go back; if that is done by force, they simply go back to the streets.
Most law enforcement stations lack the facilities to hold runaway teenagers, as they are primarily made to handle lawbreakers. This makes many police officers to steer clear of the paperwork involved, since most have more serious crimes to follow up on.
Teenagers who run away from home generally suffer from low self esteem and depression, and this constantly leads them to engage in risky behaviour such as unprotected sex, taking drugs and so on. Most of these problems stem from a child's background, and that is the best place to solve them. This will prevent such people as Julian Maldonado preying on them.
Minors escape from home or substitute care placements such as foster or group facilities for many reasons. Some are chased away by their parents or other legal caregivers, and not allowed to go back home. Others leave and do not come back on time. The majority, however, leave on their own volition. Some may be abducted by an absent guardian, or by strangers.
Going by data made available by the American government, there were slightly over one and half million runaways in 1999. Most fall into the fifteen to seventeen year old age bracket. Very few were below fourteen. While kids from any socioeconomic background can run away from home, the large majority come from lower income and working class backgrounds. Experts speculate that the pressure of dealing with resource constraints may be underlying this fact.
The same information shows that kids from foster and group homes are more likely to take off as compared to those from more normal backgrounds. Older children from group homes and similar facilities are also more likely to take off than those who are younger; the chances of this happening are higher in the period after placement. Kids with such backgrounds will run away further away as compared to those who live with a parent or guardian.
The image many people have in their minds of children who have escape from home is of someone fending for themselves on the streets. Strictly speaking, this is not true; most teenagers take off to the home of a friend or relative they can trust. A very small number do end up homeless, and it is this category that gives headaches to law enforcement agencies, as they are most likely to end up in the hands of criminal gangs and other unsavory characters, and are likely to end engaging in criminal activity themselves.
While a variety of law enforcement agencies are concerned with the problem of street kids, they rarely assign high priority to such incidents. Police officers feel that most guardians are unable to discipline their children, and leave that responsibility to the criminal justice system. Also, most minors that take off from home rarely want to go back; if that is done by force, they simply go back to the streets.
Most law enforcement stations lack the facilities to hold runaway teenagers, as they are primarily made to handle lawbreakers. This makes many police officers to steer clear of the paperwork involved, since most have more serious crimes to follow up on.
Teenagers who run away from home generally suffer from low self esteem and depression, and this constantly leads them to engage in risky behaviour such as unprotected sex, taking drugs and so on. Most of these problems stem from a child's background, and that is the best place to solve them. This will prevent such people as Julian Maldonado preying on them.
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