An all-in-one resource for understanding the issue of teen runaways in the USA, including the demographic and socioeconomic dimensions of the problem. This work examines every aspect of the issue, from the key drivers of the phenomenon (such as estrangement from family or vulnerability to abuse) to the dangers of life as a runaway (including increased vulnerability to hunger to human trafficking) to the efforts of agencies, organizations, and advocates to reduce the number of teen runaways and provide assistance and resources to teenagers already on the street. Features include personal essays on the experience of being a teen runaway; illuminating figures, tables, and primary sources that document various facets and trends; glossary of terms; chronology of events; and information for government agencies, child welfare organizations, and other parties working to reduce teen runaway populations across the USA.

Michele Wakin, PhD, is a Professor of Sociology at Bridgewater State University. She received an EdM from Boston University, USA and an MA and PhD in Sociology from the University of California-Santa Barbara, USA. Dr. Wakin is the author of three books: Otherwise Homeless: Vehicle Living and the Culture of Homelessness (2014), Hobo Jungle: A Homeless Community in Paradise (2020), and Homelessness in America: A Reference Handbook (ABC-CLIO, 2022).