Module 1: Principles for Responding to Status Offenses

This module highlights principles that professionals working with families and youth alleged to have committed status offenses should adhere to in order to protect youth and family safety, promote family connections and permanence, and ensure youth and family well-being. These principles acknowledge and address the individual, familial, and community contexts in which status offenses may occur and are the basis for the policy and practice recommendations made in later lessons.

For each of the 12 principles covered in this module, the instructor will read the text of the Standard, and then cover the “Background information” and “Key discussion points” provided. Many of the principles also contain “Action Steps” and “Resource Spotlights” for the instructor to share. There are also many opportunities for interactive, multimedia, and peer-to-peer learning, including case study discussions, group activities, videos, and question and answer periods.

Module 1 Materials