NCJ Number
94789
Date Published
1984
Length
239 pages
Annotation
Interstate and international child custody litigation is examined, and the role of the police, prosecutors, and extradition officials is explored.
Abstract
Laws that relate to child snatching are summarized, including the Parental Kidnapping Prevention Act of 1980, the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Act, and the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. Ways that attorneys may help to prevent child abduction are described: (1) place restrictions on removing the child from the State or county; (2) specify visitation rights as precisely as possible, but avoid pettiness; and (3) notify schools of custody orders and place copies of the orders in the school file. Methods that parents and attorneys may use to locate children who are concealed in connection with custody disputes are listed. Parents are advised to request assistance from the police and/or the prosecutor, to complete the Missing Persons Report and NCIC Entry, and to question all friends, relatives, and coworkers of the absconding parents. In addition, it may be fruitful to check with credit card companies, car rental agencies, travelers check companies, and the State Motor Vehicle Bureau. A specific unit of the police department should be designated to receive initial complaints on child abduction. The prosecutor should attempt to educate friends and relatives of the perpetrator who may be supporting the crime, and the extradition official should act promptly on extradition requests. Appendixes include a directory of organizations that provide assistance to victims of parental kidnapping, a seven-item bibliography, and various other resources.