What is the age at which a runaway can be released on their own?

• A. 12 years old
• B. 15 years old
• C. 16 years old
• D. 18 years old

Answer: (B)

The concept here is the age threshold for releasing a runaway from custody back to home or guardians. In this material, the cutoff is 15 years old. A runaway who is 15 or older can be released on their own into the care of a parent or guardian if there are no other charges or safety concerns, which helps avoid unnecessary detention of older youths who can safely return home. Those younger than 15 typically require protective services or further placement rather than immediate release to their own care. The other ages don’t match this rule: 12 is below the threshold and would generally not be released on their own, while 16 and 18 are outside the specified cutoff in this context (with 18 also signaling adulthood in many legal frameworks).