SC Kids Can Be Jailed for Skipping School or Running Away
South Carolina lawmakers are pushing to change how the state handles “status offenses” — actions like skipping school or running away that aren’t crimes for adults. A new bill would limit when minors can be detained and require some juvenile records to be cleared at age 18. Currently, South Carolina is the only state that allows jail time even for a child’s first status offense, according to WCNC. The bill also bans holding kids in adult jails for more than six hours and calls for family counseling for children deemed “incorrigible.” Sponsors say the goal is support, not punishment.
