In 1997, residential treatment was established as a new policy by the Juvenile Delinquency Treatment Law, the aim was to apply community treatment to these delinquents, put them into proper residential care or welfare institutions. There were many studies which explored the difficulties and problems in residential care, such as shortage of manpower and orientation toward protection or punishment, but few researches have been conducted on those who ran away from residential care – yet this issue might tell us something important. The present study uses Reckless’s containment theory(outer pulls, external containment, internal containment, inner pushes) to discuss adaptive life in residential care, and the reason why juridical residential cases may result in people running away from residential care. Seven cases were studied, where there was at least one experience of running away from residential care . The interview findings are as follows: 1.The two main reasons behind running away from residential care are: difficulty in adapting to life in residential cares and the relationships with classmates or social workers in that environment. 2.Three factors which seemed to push towards a return residential care were their family, social workers and themselves. 3.There is a hidden power structure in residential care. 4.Running away has a large negative stigma. 5.Yet the negative effect of running away, may assist in making their thoughts mature and learning to face up to the facts. 6.Generally speaking, going into residential care is seen as a punitive measure. This research recommends the following: 1. For residential care: (1) Construct easier communication pathways between family members, social workers and those in care. (2) Reduce bullying incidents in residential care. (3) Social workers need to strictly abide by confidentiality principles. (4) The correctness and aptness of information or hearsay should be given attention in the residential cares. 2. For juridical residential treatment: (1) To establish professionally developed institutions for those juvenile delinquents. (2) Deregulate the strict rules about holidays. 3. For future research (1) It should take the ethos of residential care into consideration.