NCJ Number
164716
Date Published
1997
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This paper emphasizes the importance of the passport in investigations that involve international child abduction, the probability for violations of Federal law in the procurement of a passport, and the possibility of furthering a child-abduction investigation by review of passport records.
Abstract
Investigators involved in child abduction cases should determine whether a passport has been issued, and if so, whether or not there may have been fraud committed in the process. This crime involves the perpetrator submitting a passport application that contains deliberate false statements as to citizenship or identity. For crimes that involve abducted children, this fraud may involve the perpetrator applying in the identity of the custodial parent or guardian or applying on behalf of the child as that child's parent or guardian. The case may also involve less complicated false statements. Another crime committed with the passport is the alteration or photo-substitution of the passport. Whether or not fraud has been perpetrated on a passport application, the information contained on the application may be of significant value to the investigator in the development of additional leads in a case. Supporting documents that often accompany the passport application may indicate travel itinerary or travel plans. The passport application photograph itself is a valuable source when searching for good quality photographs for wanted posters or lookout notices. This paper also lists the Federal laws associated with passport fraud and the phone numbers of Diplomatic Security Service offices in the United States.