NCJ Number
219171
Journal
FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin Volume: 76 Issue: 7 Dated: July 2007 Pages: 1-7
Date Published
July 2007
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This article reviews Federal law pertinent to child abductions and offers investigative suggestions for abduction cases.
Abstract
Federal legislation has served to establish a structure for law enforcement officials to act in addressing various types of abduction cases. The kidnapping and murder of the Lindbergh baby in 1932 prompted the passage of the Federal Kidnapping Act, which allows the use of Federal agencies in kidnapping cases. Little change occurred in Federal kidnapping law until 1968. As society changed and divorce became more prevalent, child custody issues took on increasing importance. One facet of the custody problem in divorce cases was the motivation of a noncustodial parent to abduct a child from a custodial parent and obtain a favorable custody order in another State. In 1968, the U.S. Congress passed the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Act (UCCJA), which made it illegal to move to another State for the purpose of changing a custody order. During the 1980s, the Federal Government enacted several measures that provided law enforcement with tools necessary to investigate these cases. The Missing Children's Assistance Act (MCAA) created a national clearinghouse for missing children and authorized research to determine the extent of the problem within this country. In 1990, Congress passed the National Child Search Assistance Act, authorizing law enforcement agencies to enter each reported missing child (under 18 years old) into the National Crime Information Center. In 2003, Congress passed the Prosecutorial Remedies and Other Tools to End the Exploitation of Children Today Act (PROTECT). This created the AMBER Alert system, a partnership that involves law enforcement, other government agencies, and the news media to produce public service announcements about certain abducted children whose cases meet specified criteria.