**My stepdaughters, aged 11 and 14, have been drastically influenced by a group of 16-year-old runaways over the last few months in the Roseburg and Winston areas. This influence has led them to engage in behavior that is both worrying and unimaginable to any parent or guardian. This issue is not just personal to our family but is affecting the community at large.**

The current laws in Oregon and specifically in Douglas County regarding juvenile runaways are inadequate in preventing this type of behavior. The juvenile system's approach to runaways lacks the necessary measures to deal with older teens who influence younger ones into leaving home. When 16-year-olds encourage children as young as 14 and even 11 to run away, it not only poses a risk to those involved but also creates a dangerous environment for other families and their children.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, juvenile runaways are at risk of falling into criminal activities, including substance abuse and human trafficking. The current legal framework does not hold older teens accountable for influencing younger, impressionable children. It is essential to create a legal deterrent by introducing criminal charges for runaways aged 16 and older when they influence or assist minors under 14 in running away from home.

Oregon can set an example by distinguishing clear legal ramifications for such behavior and ensuring that the juvenile system takes action to prevent these situations. Rather than simply housing them temporarily, these young influencers should undergo a reform program designed to educate and reintegrate them positively. This should involve counseling, education, and community service to steer them back onto a path of responsibility and away from criminal activities.

We must push for legislative change that supports the intervention and rehabilitation of runaways, with a focus on those who lure younger children. By increasing accountability and creating reform programs, we can foster a healthier society where our children are protected from negative influences.

Join me in advocating for an amendment to Oregon's laws. We need a more robust system that clearly defines and enforces consequences while offering reformative solutions to protect our children and safeguard our communities.

Sign this petition to demand that the Oregon legislature and local authorities in Douglas County take immediate action to review and revise laws concerning juvenile runaways, especially focusing on those influencing younger children. Your signature can make a difference in securing a safer future for our children.