NCJ Number
196166
Date Published
January 1998
Length
16 pages
Annotation
The aim of this pamphlet is to assist parents in talking to their
children about how to protect themselves against abduction and
exploitation.
Abstract
The first section presents facts and figures on child abductions
to help parents assess risks to their children. It reports that
in 1999 approximately 203,900 children were victimized in "family
abductions," in which a family member attempted to deprive a
caretaker of custodial right; 98 percent of these children were
returned home, and none were killed. In this same year, there
were approximately 58,200 "nonfamily abductions," which involved
forcibly moving or detaining a child for a relatively short
period of time, usually in connection with another crime; 99
percent of these children returned home; only 115 of these were
the most serious and dangerous types of abductions, which were
perpetrated by strangers who kept the child overnight; almost 60
percent of these children were returned safely. When the abductor
is unrelated to the child, the abductor is just as likely to be
someone known to the child or family as to be a stranger. The
next section of the pamphlet offers tips to parents for
discussing safety with their children. Some tips are to listen to
your children; know your children's daily activities and habits;
encourage open communication; set boundaries on places they may
go, people they may see, and what they may do; and reinforce the
importance of the "buddy system." Parents should practice safety
skills with their children. A section on what parents can do to
help their children be safe focuses on safety at home, safety in
the neighborhood, and safety at school. Another section of the
pamphlet presents safety rules for younger children, followed by
a set of safety rules for older children (teens). A section on
emergency procedures provides advice on numbers to call and
information to collect. A list of eight resources includes
website addresses for agencies and organizations that can provide
additional resources.
Date Published: January 1, 1998