What age is considered a runaway in Georgia?

Answer 1

No, in Georgia, you can leave home at 17, and the police will not force you to return (although a few cops may be stupid in that regard and need to be educated by calling their superior officer). That's because you can now go to jail at 17, so it created this dichotomy in the law. But your parents cannot force you to leave until age 18, which is the age of majority. At 17, you will have difficulty getting your own apartment, because you cannot legally sign a Lease or other Contract until age 18.

Answer 2

UPDATED AND CORRECTED:

I am a police officer and unfortunately, we call 17 the gray age. In Georgia, for purposes of a Juvenile Court proceeding, a child is MOSTLY defined as a person under 17 years of age. O.C.G.A § 15-11-2 (2001). Under state law, there is no definition of "runaway." There is a definition of an unruly child which includes a child who, among other things, without guardian permission deserts home. O.C.G.A. § 15-11-2 (2001). The police can take an "unruly child" or any child who has run away from home into custody without a warrant and hold them in a facility for unruly children. However, a 17 year old is not a child under the definition cited above. O.C.G.A. §§ 15-11-2, 15-11-45, 15-11-47, 15-11-67, 15-11-68 (2001). BUT GA law now extends the definition of a "child" to a person under the age of 18 for a "STATUS OFFENSE or STATUS OFFENDER.

(from code section)(C) Under the age of 18 years, if alleged to be a "deprived child" or a "status offender" as defined by this Code section.

What is a status offense, well it is anything that would not apply to an adult - namely unruly child (runaway, disobey parents, skip school, etc). That's right, steal something they are in big boy court, run away or disobey and they are in juvenile court.

A person commits the crime of interfering with the custody of a child if he/she knowingly harbors a child who has run away. O.C.G.A. § 16-5-45 (2001). Again, MAY OR MAY NOT apply to a "child" above the age of 17, this is still very gray.

A person 17 years or older is an adult in the eyes of the legal system as it relates to all offenses from traffic court to state offenses (theft, robbery, etc.). As it relates to Unruly (runaway) the definition extends till age 18 and that is the only offense that will be handled in the juvenile court system. In most other categories Georgia considers the age of majority as 18 (contracts, cigarettes, lottery tickets, etc.). That is where allot of confusion occurs, as the term "Child" and "Minor" is used in different contexts throughout the GA code sections. A 17 year old CAN NOT leave home without parental consent. Also, There is a DRIVING CURFEW that restricts anyone under the age of 18 (and all class D licenses) from driving after 12am and before 6 am and restricts passengers under certain conditions (age, relationship, etc.). Many confuse the driving curfew as a general curfew but it only relates to operating a motor vehicle, not being out in general. Because a 17 year old is viewed as an "adult" as it relates to criminal offenses, every local curfew that I am aware of defines a "minor" as someone 16 and younger. CLEAR AS MUD

Answer 3

18

Title 39, Chapter 1, §39-1-1

http://minors.uslegal.com/age-of-majority/georgia-age-of-majority-law/