# Legalizing Runaways and Child Labor **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 22, 2009, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalizing-runaways-and-child-labor/507294 "2009-08-22T07:26:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalizing-runaways-and-child-labor/507294/1 "2009-08-22T07:26:42Z")
Runaways often turn to prostitution as work, in the US. This is because as runaway children they can’t find legal work, and this is the only labor available. Prostitution itself generally means issues with drug/alcohol abuse, getting beaten, raped, STDs, and post traumatic stress disorder and/or death as a result of the former items. It’s not a cheery nor safe profession when undertaken illegally. And regardless of you stance on the legalization of prostitution, I think you would have to agree that legalizing _child_ prostitution is not going to happen before legalizing self-supporting minors. What are your thoughts on a law which: 1. Allowed a workplace to offer work to minors so long as it was not during school hours, and not to exceed 20 hours of work a week. 2. Allowed minors to emancipate easily from their parents if they have received an offer of legal work. 3. Provided extra income to these children to be self-supporting. Or, alternately, what sort of law would you want to see passed, if any? ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalizing-runaways-and-child-labor/507294/2 "2009-08-22T07:36:55Z")
I’d rather simply support children than have them work. As far as I’m concerned they already have a job: school. And children are simply too easy to exploit. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalizing-runaways-and-child-labor/507294/3 "2009-08-22T17:16:26Z")
#1 already exists. #2 should still require either consent or service of process on both parents, if living, and any guardians if applicable. The burden of proving maturity is on the minor. #3 is a bad idea. Why should a 16 year old minimum wage worker get a supplement not available to a 23 year old for the same work? ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalizing-runaways-and-child-labor/507294/4 "2009-08-22T17:23:10Z")
I think your proposal assumes that runaways have a rational basis for fleeing home. I’m sure many do, but I’m also sure that many run away because they’re immature little punks. Since it’s unlikely that any job they can acquire will pay enough to support them (and since I don’t support subsidizing them), I think the best course of action would be to return them to their parents and make sure they stay there. Do you have a cite to support your contention that runaways often turn to prostitution? Sounds scary but implausible. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalizing-runaways-and-child-labor/507294/5 "2009-08-22T18:01:30Z")
> [@MOIDALIZE](#): > > Since it’s unlikely that any job they can acquire will pay enough to support them (and since I don’t support subsidizing them), I think the best course of action would be to return them to their parents and make sure they stay there. > > Do you have a cite to support your contention that runaways often turn to prostitution? Sounds scary but implausible. Why implausible? How else would they support themselves? You yourself just admitted that they probably can’t in a legitimate job. ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalizing-runaways-and-child-labor/507294/6 "2009-08-22T18:05:40Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Why implausible? How else would they support themselves? You yourself just admitted that they probably can’t in a legitimate job. Maybe they go back home. Maybe they crash with a sympathetic friend. Maybe they become squatters. It could be any number of solutions aside from resorting to prostitution. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalizing-runaways-and-child-labor/507294/7 "2009-08-22T18:42:48Z")
Children shouldn’t _have_ to be self-supporting. And most of them, including (probably especially) the ones who run away from home, aren’t really equipped (emotionally, financially, etc.) to be self-supporting. It sounds like you’re proposing treating runaway kids as, and expecting them to live as, adults. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalizing-runaways-and-child-labor/507294/8 "2009-08-22T19:57:46Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Children shouldn’t _have_ to be self-supporting. And most of them, including (probably especially) the ones who run away from home, aren’t really equipped (emotionally, financially, etc.) to be self-supporting. It sounds like you’re proposing treating runaway kids as, and expecting them to live as, adults. That’s exactly what they’re signing up for when they run away from home. ---
**Author:** ![Jerseyman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@Jerseyman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jerseyman)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalizing-runaways-and-child-labor/507294/9 "2009-08-22T20:04:20Z")
The whole point of classing them as minors is that they are _not_ considered capable of looking after themselves. Even when they left school at 14 to become a different sort of miner they were still expected to live at home and their wage be part of the family income. I can’t see that establishing some sort of employment for runaways would amount to much more than re-introducing the Workhouse or some sort of 3rd world sweat-shop. They may not be turning to illegal prostitution because anything else they might do is just as illegal. They might find it freer and better paying. ---
**Author:** ![Silvorange](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Silvorange](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silvorange)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2009, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalizing-runaways-and-child-labor/507294/10 "2009-08-24T04:00:14Z")
I would rather see kids who can’t live with their families placed in good foster homes and given the support they need to finish school and learn independent living skills. ---
**Author:** ![AboutAsWeirdAsYouCanGet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@AboutAsWeirdAsYouCanGet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AboutAsWeirdAsYouCanGet)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2009, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalizing-runaways-and-child-labor/507294/11 "2009-08-24T05:01:05Z")
Or maybe a really good shelter?!?! ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalizing-runaways-and-child-labor/507294/12 "2009-09-02T04:58:01Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > What are your thoughts on a law which: > > 1. Allowed a workplace to offer work to minors so long as it was not during school hours, and not to exceed 20 hours of work a week. > 2. Allowed minors to emancipate easily from their parents if they have received an offer of legal work. > 3. Provided extra income to these children to be self-supporting. > > Or, alternately, what sort of law would you want to see passed, if any? I’ll do it if you allow adults to have free education (remedial & college) at any age. The opposition to putting runaways in the labor force is tied in the national mind to the idea of an educated society. ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalizing-runaways-and-child-labor/507294/13 "2009-09-02T06:14:52Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > That’s exactly what they’re signing up for when they run away from home. But that analysis treats them as competent to “sign up” for something. And they whole point of their “minor” status is that they are presumptively _not_ competent to sign up for anything. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalizing-runaways-and-child-labor/507294/14 "2009-09-02T06:18:38Z")
> [@UDS](#): > > But that analysis treats them as competent to “sign up” for something. And they whole point of their “minor” status is that they are presumptively _not_ competent to sign up for anything. I suspect that there’s a fallacy for arguing that something is bad because it would require an exception to some underlying theory. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalizing-runaways-and-child-labor/507294/15 "2009-09-02T16:27:21Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > That’s exactly what they’re signing up for when they run away from home. And people who drink beer and drive are signing up for death and murder. Should we facilitate this? It’s one thing to advocate personal responsibility. It’s another thing to propose that society should push every person’s stupid ideas forward to their natural conclusions, putting ‘teaching them a lesson’ above the greater good. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalizing-runaways-and-child-labor/507294/16 "2009-09-02T16:48:30Z")
No. Put them in government run orphanages and then conscript them into the Army or Peace Corps if they don’t have much other oppourtunities or college once they’re eighteen. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalizing-runaways-and-child-labor/507294/17 "2009-09-02T17:29:15Z")
> [@MOIDALIZE](#): > > I’m sure many do, but I’m also sure that many run away because they’re immature little punks. And I’m also sure that the reason they’re immature little punks is because they are young and they have clinical depression (or other personality disorders) or really crappy parents. Having a mental disease or abusive parents would tend to make one disagreeable, no? ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2009, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalizing-runaways-and-child-labor/507294/18 "2009-09-03T04:08:43Z")
Gay children (particularly boys) are particularly likely to run away. That will probably diminish with time, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2009, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalizing-runaways-and-child-labor/507294/19 "2009-09-03T04:40:28Z")
Some [stats and facts](http://www.ncsl.org/?tabid=18275) on runaways– > [@](#): > > Between 20 and 40 percent of homeless youth identify as Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender or Questioning (GLBTQ) > > 46 percent of runaway and homeless youth reported being physically abused, 38 percent reported being emotionally abused , and 17 percent reported being forced into unwanted sexual activity by a family or household member > > Family problems: Some youth run away, and in turn become homeless, due to problems in the home, including physical and sexual abuse, mental health disorders of a family member, substance abuse and addiction of a family member, and parental neglect. In some cases, youth are asked to leave the home because the family cannot afford to care for them. > > Transitions from foster care and other public systems. Kids who have been involved in the foster care system are more likely to become homeless at an earlier age and remain homeless for a longer period of time. Since they have aged out of the foster care system but do not have any income support or housing options, these youth often end up on the streets. Youth that live in residential or institutional facilities often become homeless upon discharge. In addition, very few homeless youth are able to seek housing in emergency shelters due to the lack of shelter beds for young people and shelter admission policies. > > Economic problems. Some youth become homeless when their families fall into difficult financial situations resulting from lack of affordable housing, difficulty obtaining or maintaining a job, and lack of medical insurance or adequate welfare benefits. These youth become homeless with their families, but later can find themselves separated from them and/or living on the streets alone, often due to shelter or child welfare policies. Looking at that last one, it sounds like the resources aren’t there. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2009, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalizing-runaways-and-child-labor/507294/20 "2009-09-03T04:43:26Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Why implausible? How else would they support themselves? You yourself just admitted that they probably can’t in a legitimate job. From what I see, they turn to begging and adopt the homeless lifestyle. I have not seen any hooking. I am sure that a few do turn tricks, of course. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalizing-runaways-and-child-labor/507294.md?page=2)