This article presents a framework for understanding police responses to runaway and missing children. Its principal components are (a) the legal context, (b) departmental policies and organization, and (c) perceived youth types. Police responses are affected by police perceptions of runaway youth relative to police responsibilities, departmental structure and policy regarding juvenile operations, and statutory constraints. Community characteristics and dispositional resources also influence police perceptions of missing youth cases, and, consequently, responses to them. Several objectives for future research are offered. These must be undertaken with a conceptual understanding of the interrelationships between law, community, department, police values and experiences, and adolescent behavior.
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