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Question: If I was charged with being an Incorrigible child would I be forced to move back home?

Answer:

Arizona Law (A.R.S. § 8-201(15)) defines an incorrigible child as someone who:

 

  • is determined by the courts to be a child who refuses to obey the reasonable and proper orders or directions of a parent, guardian or custodian, and who is beyond the control of that person;
  • routinely or habitually skips school;
  • is a runaway from the child's home or parent, guardian or custodian;
  • routinely or habitually behaves in such a manner as to injure or endanger the morals or health of self or others;
  • commits any act constituting an offense that can only be committed by a minor and that is not designated as a delinquent act; or
  • fails to obey any lawful order of a court of competent jurisdiction given in a non criminal action.

As a minor, it is your parents' responsibility to provide proper parental care and control of you. This includes providing adequate food, shelter, and clothing for you. If you don't live with your parents now, then you could be in juvenile detention, in a foster placement, or living with a family member or friend. Upon being charged with an offense, you face being placed in detention. I am sure you are aware that is where people under the age of 18 who commit crimes go to instead of adult jail or prison. If you were already in detention, you won't be released from detention for committing another crime.

If you were living with a family friend or guardian and disrupted your placement with them while being charged as an incorrigible child, the courts would have to determine the most appropriate setting for you. Surely detention would be a consideration. If the people you live with did not want you to return, where you would go hinges on how you got there in the first place. If you were placed with a family member or friend because your parents weren't doing a good job of parenting you, then if the circumstances that caused your parents to lose you still exist, there is a chance you wouldn't return to them.

If CPS or any other state agency was involved in removing you from your parents the first time, that would be taken into consideration when determining where to place you.


Comments
1 thru 5 of 26 comments
On 07/29/08
MC from MI said:
I don't get it we have a 15 year old that we adopted at the age of 3. He was out of control then and still is. We have given him so much help but he seems to do and say what he wants when he is told no or he get mad. He has been in a long time placement and came home after 9 months and acted the same way he did when he went in. What does a parent do if they tried everything.
On 03/06/08
angel from NC said:
You all have options. There is job corps if you are 16-24 and the military if you are 17. I'm sure your parents would welcome the chance for you to change your life.
On 05/10/04
lauren from WA said:
I WENT THROUGH THE SAME THING AS A TEENAGER IN WASHINGTON. I WAS ABUSED BY MY STEPFATHER FROM AGE 4 UNTILL I STARTED RUNNING AWAY AT AGE 14. I WAS ALSO DEEMED A "BAD" CHILD BY THE COURTS AND AND WAS PUT IN JUVENILE HALL ANYTIME I WOULD VILOATE ME OUT ORDER. THE COURT NEVER ONCE LOOKED INTO MY ABUSE ALLEGATIONS AND SIMPLY BELIEVED EVERY THING MY MOTHER AND STEPFATHER SAID ABOUT ME. AS A RESULT I SUFFERED. I REUSED TO BE AT HOME AT ALL COST AND WAS A RUNAWAY FOR THE BETTER PART OF 4 YEARS UNTILL I WAS 18. I KNOW WHAT ALL OF YOU ARE GOING THROUGH JUST DONT GIVE UP ON YOURSELVES.
On 05/04/04
tom from NY said:
Oh well.do as your told and no one gets into trouble.I have a 15 yo boy who yelled at me,pretty much did what he wanted.I put him on a pins program in ny state.If he screws up I call and the court will decide what happens to him.I got fed up with his crap and now let him deal with the judge. stop your complaining and do as your told
On 04/26/04
Courtney from MI said:
Hey everyone, I just wanted to say that I was put into Oakland County Children's Village in Michigan when I was 15 for being incorrigible. Yeah, I yelled, I stayed out 10 minutes past curfew, I did all the basic "bad things" teenagers do but my mom and the court put me there for a month. I missed out on a lot; halloween my sister's birthday...my mom really regrets even going to a case worker and me ending up in Childrens Village because now if I get into trouble with her, even for just coming in 2 minutes late after curfew, she has to call my p.o and tell her. If she doesn't, she gets int
1 thru 5 of 26 comments



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