As of now, there is a gray area when it comes to criminal law and family law for 17 year olds. In the family court a 17 year old is considered a juvenile and in the criminal court a 17 year old is considered an adult. This needs to be the same. When a 16 year old or younger juvenile runs away from home, the law will pick them up and get involved. When a 17 year old runs away from home, the parents must report them as a runaway, but nothing is done to find them because law enforcements, nor the parents are allowed to forcibly make them come home. The parents are still liable to ensure they attend school and liable to provide for them, but nothing can be done to make them come home. This need to be corrected.
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