NCJ Number
155183
Date Published
1995
Length
274 pages
Annotation
Crimes against children, including child abduction and exploitation of missing children, are significant problems; according to a recent study funded by the U.S. Department of Justice, 114,600 children were abducted or subject to an abduction attempt by nonfamily members in 1988.
Abstract
Also in 1988, 300 children were abducted by nonfamily members and were gone for long periods of time or murdered; 354,000 children were abducted by family members; 450,700 children ran away and were at risk of abuse or exploitation; 127,100 children were ejected from their homes; and 438,200 children were lost, injured while lost, or otherwise missing. As law enforcement agencies search for missing children, they need to draw upon a range of information sources. Yet, significant barriers prevent law enforcement agencies from obtaining the information they need. Laws and policies restricting record access reflect important confidentiality interests that protect children and their families. Appropriate remedies should carefully balance confidentiality issues with the need to find and protect missing children. The report makes recommendations on access by law enforcement agencies to records maintained by schools, hospitals, child welfare agencies, domestic violence shelters, and runaway shelters. The report also covers information release procedures and includes a checklist for maximizing record access from service providers. Additional information and other relevant statistical data are appended that focus on the confidentiality of records in searches for missing children, jurisdictions that allow record access or impose reporting requirements in missing children cases, and State laws affecting record access. Tables