Fostered children face significant disconnection from family and community due to frequent placement changes and instability. This disrupts their schooling, relationships, and support networks, while the absence of consistent adult guidance makes them more vulnerable to exploitation, homelessness, and eventual criminalization.
When youth "age out" of foster care, typically at age 18, they are often left without a “safety net;” they have no family support, or monetary resources to rely on. Without stable housing, income, or access to education and job training, some are forced to turn to survival strategies that lead to arrest and involvement in the criminal justice system. 
This cycle reflects SYSTEM failures, not personal failure.