by Jesse Mathewson

Created on: July 30, 2008

What is a status offender? Merriam-Webster says it is the following "a young offender (as a runaway or a truant) who is under the jurisdiction of a court for repeated offenses that are not crimes." The simple explanation is that it is a child who breaks the law without so-called "dangerous" crimes being committed. A child, who is truant, shoplifts, and or anti-social this is a status offender. Many times this behavior leads directly into a more destructive criminal behavior throughout life. The idea here is to approach these offender types with potential fixes. The following explanations of different factors in the progressive justice applications will assist with understanding the following treatment strategy.

Profile and risk factors

What makes a status offender do what they do? Some research indicates that status offenders mirror their surroundings and the environment in which they grow up. Because of the environment, these children at times exhibit anti-social behavior, though in all fairness this behavior is not always a result of the environment. Unfortunately, a status offender is most usually the beginning of something far more criminal. Many times if a child's status behavior mannerisms are not addressed, it can evolve into more self-destructive behavior as well as criminal behavior. By directly addressing the source, we can effectively put a stop to the behavior type and assist the child with changing their potentially destructive behavior. Too combat future problems parents and teachers alike should be aware of several signs about status offences.
1. Normally active children withdrawing from daily activities (schoolwork- and homework)
2. Lying about simple things to friends and unstable personal habits.
3. Reduced joint activities with family and peer groups, and the addition of new different friends.
4. Poor support systems, family, and or neighborhood, school related.
Look for the signs and actions that could possibly allow a child to be placed in a program that could actually change the future outcome of that child's life. Disallowing a person to continue on a path that could eventually lead to severe criminal behavior should be the imperative of any Justice System worker.

Corrections and detention

Status offenders should only be detained if the original cause is not their environment and all other attempts to "fix" the problem have failed. Obviously, there is always a need for corporal punishment (I.E. detention) however; it is not always necessary

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