Runaway Kids and Teenage Prostitution: America's Lost, Abandoned, and Sexually Exploited Children

by R. Barri Flowers

Overview

This concise and accessible new text examines the correlations between runaway children and teenage prostitution in the United States from a criminological, sociological, and psychological perspective. The author takes a systematic approach to defining and describing the differences between youth who run away from home and those who leave institutional settings and distinguishes the difference between runaway and throwaway children. A careful examination of teenage prostitution among girls and boys helps to illuminate the special problems faced by children who have run away. In addition, the author discusses laws related to runaways, teenage prostitution, and the sexual exploitation of minors as well as the criminal justice response to the problems. Runaways and prostitution involving youth in other countries is also explored. The text's findings support current conclusions on the characteristics of runaways, the relationship between runaways and teen prostitution, and the implications of running away from home.

Runaway Kids and Teenage Prostitution is divided into five parts. Part I examines the scope and dynamics of running away and differentiates between runaways and throwaways. Part II explores teenage prostitution and provides information on girl and boy prostitutes and the people who exploit them. Child sexual abuse and child pornography as correlates to the problem are studied in Part III, and Part IV reviews the law that atttempts to combat teenage prostitution. Part V is devoted to an examination of the scope and significance of the problem in other countries. Together, these chapters provide readers with a clear picture of the problem of runaways and teenage prostitution in the United States and around the world.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780313314926
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	06/30/2001
Series:	Contributions in Criminology and Penology , #54
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	232
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.69(d)

About the Author

R. BARRI FLOWERS is an independent criminologist and crime writer. He is the author of 22 published books, including Children and Criminality (Greenwood Press, 1986), Women and Criminality (Greenwood Press, 1987), Minorities and Criminality (Greenwood Press, 1988), Demographics and Criminality (Greenwood Press, 1989), The Victimization and Exploitation of Women and Children, and The Sex Slave Murders among others.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Part I: The Dynamics of Running Away
The Scope of Runaway Youth
The Extent of Throwaway Kids
Runaways, Arrest, and the Police
Why Teens Run Away from Home
The Perils for the Teenage Runaway
Theoretical Approaches to Running Away and Teenage Prostitution
Policy, Practice, and Response to Runaway and Prostitution Involved Teens
Part II: The Dynamics of Teenage Prostitution
The Nature of Teenage Prostitution
Teen Prostitutes, Arrest, and the Criminal Justice System
Girl Prostitution
The Pimp's Role in Teenage Prostitution
Boy Prostitution
Part III: Correlates of Running Away and Teen Prostitution
Child Sexual Abuse
Child Pornography
Part IV: The Law and Combating Teenage Prostitution
Laws and the Prostitution of Teenagers
Part V: Runaway Youth and Prostituted Teens in Other Countries
Runaways and Teenage Prostitution Globally
Bibliography
Index

Editorial Reviews

Exploring the many correlates between running away from home or institutional settings and teenage prostitution, criminologist Flowers hopes to bring to light ways in which the United States can address a distressing social situation. Separate sections address the dynamics of running away and teenage prostitution, looking at theories of delinquency, the criminal justice system's response to teens, and the pimp's role in prostitution. Correlates between running away and prostitution such as child sexual abuse are explored, and laws that are aimed at combatting the problem are surveyed. Finally, a comparative study of teenage prostitution globally is offered. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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