While some parents don’t want to get the police involved, it’s helpful to make an official report if you teen runs away from home so that deputies can be on the lookout for your son or daughter.

Young adults also face serious dangers on the run, like homelessness, poverty and child-sex exploitation and trafficking.

Runaways should be taken home or turned into the police. Anyone who harbors a runaway can be charged with a crime.

If deputies pick up a runaway, they’ll be taken the Juvenile Assessment Center (JAC) to be assessed, then released to a parent or legal guardian or detained at a youth detention center.  You can reach the JAC anytime at 720-874-3381.

Learn what happens with juvenile offenders.