CSUEB lecturer presents new research on teen runaways

• December 2, 2011 5:04am

Stephen Morewitz, lecturer in the Department of Nursing and Health Sciences, has been accepted to present two research posters at the 2012 Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS) Annual Meeting in New York City on March 16, 2012.

In his first poster, “Initial Criminal History of Endangered Runaways,” Morewitz evaluated the criminal background of children and adolescent runaways in a random sampling of 200 missing-persons reports that were filed between 1991 and 2004 and published on the North American Missing Persons Network Web site. The research determined that having a criminal history did not increase the risk of youth running away from home. Only 2 percent of the endangered runaways had a criminal history.  

 Morewitz will continue with his runaway research in second poster, “Racial and ethnic differences among endangered runaways.”  Using the same random sample of 200 missing-persons reports, he evaluated if race or ethnicity was related to being an endangered runaway. Analysis found significant racial and ethnic differences among children and adolescents who ran away from home. African American youth were almost twice as likely than white youth to run away from home (36.1% vs. 18.4%).  A substantial percentage of Hispanics also ran away from home (29.38%).  These results remained statistically significant after controlling for possible intervening factors, such as the individual’s age and gender.  

ACJS is an international association established in 1963 to foster professional and scholarly activities in the field of criminal justice. ACJS promotes criminal justice education, research, and policy analysis within the discipline of criminal justice for both educators and practitioners.  Visit their Web site for more information. 

 KL