PINS STANDS FOR "PERSONS IN NEED OF SUPERVISION".

PINS is not for abused children and it is not for Juvenile Delinquents who commit illegal acts. It is intended for misdirected and confused young people who are acting out bad behaviors, hanging with a "bad" crowd, not complying with reasonable household rules or who run away from home. It is a tool for keeping them on the right track until they are able to make good decisions for themselves and to curtail the growth and continuation of inappropriate activities.

In New York State a parent/guardian or school may obtain a PINS petition on a young person in Family Court. The actions may be handled by PINS diversions, probation staff, or may result in an appearance before a Family Court judge as appropriate to the situation. The process may mandate various resolutions including but not limited to living arrangements, household rules, curfews, drug treatment, mental health reviews, attendance at school or other appropriate remedies.

In effect, PINS often puts teeth into the hands of the parents' ability to guide and direct their children. In addition, it benefits society as a whole by providing a tool for lowering the impact on law enforcement, jails, and health care systems and helps direct these adolescents into productive roles in society.

UNTILL JULY 1, 2002 PINS WAS AVAILABLE UP TO A CHILD'S 16TH BIRTHDAY.

This was due to a court decision, which made this threshold despite New York State law. In addition, children who ran away from our rules could only be returned by police if they were under 16. Once a child was 16 years old, many parents found their only alternative to help their children was to have them arrested for such issues as drug use or threatening their parents or siblings. The specter of parents arresting their own 16- and 17-year-old children seemed to PRAFAC to be an inappropriate solution.

WHY WAS PINS REFORM IN NEW YORK STATE IMPORTANT?

As the OLD law is interpreted, a child of 16 years of age could flaunt household rules, drop out of school, act out inappropriate behaviors, or run away from home; and there was nothing parents or law enforcement could do to help the child or the family. 16-year-old adolescents who ran away could not be returned to the family or be provided with appropriate help, guidance, alternative housing or treatment unless they agreed or presented an imminent danger to themselves or others. This last phrase was usually interpreted as having a weapon in hand ready to use on themselves or others. This was almost never the situation, and long- and mid-consequences of their actions was almost never recognized as a danger.

Young people just over 16 years old are not generally mature enough to make major life- affecting decisions without proper guidance. This is especially true of adolescents with problems of depression, drug addiction, or other substance abuse patterns, or with oppositional, attachment or attention disorders. In fact our laws do not let this age child buy alcohol and tobacco, get a tattoo, get married or sign a contract, join the military or even drive a car without parental authorization--but somehow was OK for them to run away.

Younger children, under 16, often learned about the rights they would have at 16 from friends, law and government courses, and sometimes from ill-intentioned adults. They waited until they were almost 16 and then start to display improper behaviors. When parents enforced rules about those behaviors, the child knew he or she could leave the house without any legal consequences. "How convenient."

It was so easy for these kids to avoid the rules. Many of them wound up on the streets. The long-term consequences for them, for their families, and for the community was terrible. All too often these kids would wind up in hospitals, on Social Services assistance, in jail, or even dead. The majority seemed to find their way into the illicit drug culture. Girls were particularly vulnerable to prostitution as a way to survive. This was all happening despite a caring and loving family willing to help.

AS OF JULY 1, 2002 - THIS ALL CHANGED!

Police can now return our run-away teens to the home if reported as having left home without permission, as long as they are less than 18 years of age. In addition, as of JULY 1st, parents can file a petition in Family Court to have their child under 18 deemed a Person In Need of Supervision (PINS).

While not a promise of a turnaround in the child, it's now a tool parents can use to manage a child headed for disaster, if their own efforts have not been successful. This does not make it an easy road for the parent....parents still must be firm and consistent in their expectations of the young person’s behavior....but it’s a far sight better than giving rebellious teenagers rights and freedoms to make life-altering decisions at the tender age of 16. No longer will teenagers learn they can run away from home and make their own decisions at 16 just because they do not like the rules imposed by the parents. Instead, they will learn 18 is the age for freedom.

The years 16 to 18 is a difficult period full of change, and New York State has finally realized that it is the wrong age to give these still-developing young people the right to make such important life-changing decisions. They still need responsible parents guiding them, and this new law will help parents who are trying hard to raise their children to be productive adults.