What would the consequences of a 17 year old running away from home be?

Answer 1

That would be a determination made by the court. Legal guardianship differs from parental custody in the respect that the appointed guardians are responsible for answering directly to the court for actions of the minor. That being the case, it would be a simple matter for the court to issue an order to have the minor returned to the custodial family or remanded to juvenile authorities to await a hearing on the issue.

Answer 2

It depends on which country or area you live in, in the UK for example, anyone under 18 leaving home without parental consent should supposedly be traced by the police and returned home, however this if often not the case as it is difficult to trace people who do not want to be located and given the large amount of teenagers who run away from home every year, it is a near impossible task. Assuming that the system in place in your jurisdiction is similar to this, if caught you would probably be returned home with a verbal warning from the police. If you manage to evade the police then it is possible that life could be very difficult for someone as young as 17 leaving home, especially if they have no means of income, many teenage people who run away end up on the streets begging or are forced into prostitution. For these reasons such action is inadvisable unless it would be preferable to conditions at home. Other consequences to bear in mind could be things like the effect on parents or carers who in most cases would be distressed if their child ran away and the fact that once someone leaves it can be difficult to return if they change their mind.