A Family Resource Guide on International Parental Kidnapping

• NCJ Number: 215476
• Date Published: January 2007
• Length: 164 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2005-MC-CX-K034
• Agencies: OJJDP
• Publication Type: Instructional Material
• Award: MISSING AND EXPLOITED CHILDREN AMBER ALERT

Annotation

This book guides custodial parents and their attorneys in mounting an effective response when the noncustodial parent kidnaps a child and takes him/her to a foreign country.

Abstract

Guidance is provided on preventing an international parental kidnapping, stopping a kidnapping in progress, locating a kidnapped or wrongfully retained child in another country, bringing an abductor to justice, recovering a kidnapped or wrongfully retained child from another country, and re-establishing access to a child in another country. A chapter is devoted to each of the aforementioned topics. The guide provides descriptions and realistic assessments of the civil and criminal remedies available in international parental kidnapping cases. It explains applicable laws and suggests public and private resources that can be used when an international abduction occurs or is threatened. Practical advice is offered in overcoming frequently encountered obstacles to the recovery of a child kidnapped to a foreign country. The guide prepares parents for the legal and emotional experiences generally associated with international parental kidnappings. Parents who have been through these experiences share what they have learned about coping and legal strategies that have helped them deal with the process of recovering their children. Each chapter begins with a brief introduction to the topics it covers. This is followed by a list of frequently asked questions related to the chapter's topics. Each chapter has a list of key points at the end, with page references for the relevant text. In addition to parents involved in the risk for or actual parental kidnappings, this guide is informative for attorneys who have limited experience in law related to international parental kidnapping. It provides an overview of the legal remedies available. 17 recommended readings, a directory of resources, and provisions of the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction and the protocol for obtaining assistance under the Hague Convention on International Child Abduction