We conducted a survey in high schools in Chicago and Los Angeles to obtain general information about youths’ knowledge and access of services for runaway youth. We chose schools as a setting for two main reasons. First, schools provide access to almost all (high-school age) youth regardless of whether or not they have run away. Second, schools may be one of the best points of attack for getting information to runaways and potential runaways. In the interviews of shelter and street youth, few had obtained information from school; however, many of these youth cited school as a good potential focal point for distributing information. This research is a follow-up to the original Why They Run report released in May 2010.

1. Supplemental research
to the May 2010 report,
“Why They Run: An In-
depth Look at America’s
Runaway Youth”
October 2010

2.  The National Runaway Switchboard has released
supplemental research to the May 2010 report, Why
They Run: An in-depth look at America’s runaway youth
shedding further light on the runaway problem in
America. This new research continues filling in the gaps
of what is already known and what can be done based
on new research.
 The new research continues to drive dialogue among
organizations that encourages collaboration on finding
and implementing strategies that reverse the runaway
trend. It further enables NRS and other social service
organizations to explore ways of reaching youth that
are real, relevant and capable of scaling the walls they
have put up for protection and survival.
2
Supplemental research
October 2010

3.  Researchers conducted a survey in high schools in Chicago and Los
Angeles to obtain general information about youths’ knowledge and
access of services for runaway youths. A total of 1,246 students
were surveyed—963 in L.A., 283 in Chicago.*
3
Supplemental research
October 2010
* More in depth information on the researchers methodology can be found within the research
section of the NRS website at www.1800RUNAWAY.org.

4. The Key Findings
4

5.  Nearly two in five students had at sometime considered
running away; nearly one quarter had considered it
“somewhat” or “very” seriously.
 Girls were more likely than boys to have considered
running away (48 percent compared with 39 percent). Girls
were more likely than boys to have considered running
away “somewhat” or “very” seriously (27 percent compared
with 18 percent).
 Youth in step-families were the most likely to have
considered running away “somewhat” or “very” seriously
(33 percent), followed by youth in households without a
biological parent (27 percent), youth in single-parent
families (25 percent), and youth living with both biological
parents (19 percent).
5
Supplemental research
October 2010

6.  Although 16 percent of responding students had run away
at some time, not all said they had ever thought about
running away. Consistent with the interviews of youth in
shelters and on the street, a sizable portion of runaway
episodes may be unplanned spur of the moment
decisions.1
 Few youth with runaway experience or who have seriously
considered running away have contacted a service
intended to help runaways.
 There appears to be a social network in schools among
youth who have run away or have seriously considered
running away.
Ibid., p. 43
6
Supplemental research
October 2010

7. 7
17.3 %
23 %
41 %
18.6 %
before age 12
12 to 13
14 to 15
16 to 17
Supplemental research
October 2010
Age of first runaway episode among youth subjects who had
previously run.

8. 8
Supplemental research
October 2010
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
1 2 3 to 5 6+
38.7 %
23.8 % 23.3 %
14.3 %
Number of runaway episodes among youth subjects who had
previously run.

9.  Youth have little knowledge of services available to help
runaway youth, even if they have past runaway experience
or have seriously thought about running away.
 However, youth with past runaway experience have more
knowledge about available services than youth with no
past runaway experience.
 Less than one quarter of responding students say their
school provides information on services available to help
youth who have run away.
 Students who say their school provides information are
more informed about available services than other
students.
9
Supplemental research
October 2010

10. 10
If youth ran away, percent who know where to find…
Supplemental research
October 2010
free meal medical care shelter hotline
at least one
service
Yes 13.5 8.7 8.5 3.7 21.8
free meal medical care shelter hotline
at least one
service
With
experience 19 13.7 15.4 5.9 32
Without
experience 12.1 7.7 6.9 3.2 19.6
All youth
Runaway experience

11. 11
Percent of students indicating their school provides information on help for
runaway youth
Supplemental research
October 2010
0
5
10
15
20
25
School provides
information
Teacher provides in
classroom
Posted in school Teacher provides and
is posted in school
23.1
9.9 10.6
4.4

12.  Youth turn primarily to friends for help if they feel they can’t talk to
their parents.
 Youth do not know about hotlines and would not call one if they
were to run away; only 13 percent of youth who have seriously
considered running away say they would call a hotline.
 Youth wouldn’t call hotlines because they:
◦ don’t have the number
◦ don’t want to tell others their business
◦ wouldn’t want to be found
◦ have other help
◦ don’t trust hotlines
◦ don’t think they need help
◦ believe it would not do any good or that hotline staff would not
understand their situation.
12
Supplemental research
October 2010

13. 13
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
Talk to a friend
Talk to another adult such as a relative or neighbor
Search the internet
Talk to a teacher or school counselor
Talk to a friend's parents
Talk to someone at church or other religious organization
Call a hotline
Go to a shelter
Wouldn't tell anyone
Other
74.3
38.7
28.6
28.2
19.6
17.1
5.6
4.1
2.5
5.3
What youth would do if they couldn't talk to parents and
needed help.
Supplemental research
October 2010

14. For questions or comments on
this research please contact Katy
Walsh, Director of Development
and Communication at the
National Runaway Switchboard at
kwalsh@1800RUNAWAY.org, or
(773) 289-1727.
Media interested in additional
information or to schedule an
interview with an NRS
spokesperson, please contact
Joel Kessel at
joel@kesselcommunications.com,
or (614) 467-9083.
14
Supplemental research
October 2010