Ky.gov
Effective: 7/5/2021

10.14 Status Offender Referrals and Return of Runaways

Legal Authority

Introduction

The Interstate Compact on Juveniles (ICJ) governs all interstate referrals regarding status offenders for whom a warrant/pickup order exists; regardless of which state agency has custody. The Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) administers this compact. Department for Community Based Services (DCBS) staff are not authorized to make out-of-state travel arrangements without going through DJJ. DCBS staff may contact ICJ at (502) 892-3600, (502) 892-3739, or DJJKentuckyInterstate@ky.gov. ​

Practice Guidance

Definitions:
  • Runaway: A youth who is within the jurisdictional age limit established by his home state and leaves the active custody of a parent, guardian, or person or agency having legal custody or supervision without permission and flees to another state.
  • National Crime Information Center (NCIC): A computerized index of criminal justice information (i.e. criminal record history information, fugitives, stolen properties, missing persons). It is available to federal, state, and local law enforcement and other criminal justice agencies and is operational 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. 
  • Visit the website for the Interstate Commission for Juveniles as an additional resource when referring staff to other ICJ offices.

Procedure

When a child committed to DCBS has been determined to be a runaway, the SSW:
  1. Files a missing person report with the local law enforcement agency that will be entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC); 
  2. Files a runaway petition with district/family court and requests a pick-up order be issued; and 
  3. Contacts ICJ for assistance once the child is located and/or detained.

Clarifications and Contingencies

  • If a local DCBS office is made aware of a runaway from another state, the SSW or FSOS contacts ICJ for assistance. 
  • ​If a local DCBS office receives notification from another state that a Kentucky runaway has been located in that state, the SSW or FSOS refers the other state’s worker to their ICJ office for assistance. The SSW or FSOS contacts the Kentucky ICJ office for assistance in having the child returned to Kentucky.

Documents

Revisions