Running head: CHILD ABDUCTION PREVENTION AND TRAINING

Child Abduction Prevention and Training

Lauren L. Rhymers

Edina High School

Author Note

The problem of child abduction still remains an issue today. It is important for people to

understand the key prevention tips on how to remain safe and what we can do if this affects you.

It is also important for people get involved in these prevention efforts. 6401 11th Ave. So.

Richfield, MN., USA, 55423.

CHILD ABDUCTION PREVENTION AND TRAINING

2
Stranger abduction of a child still remains a concern for parents today. According to the

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (n.d)) (citing U.S. Department of Justice

reports), nearly 800,000 children are reported missing in the United States each year. This

calculates to about 2,000 children per day. In 2014 332 children were abducted by a stranger.

Although stranger abductions accounts for a smaller percentage of missing children it is

becoming more of a modern day problem and one that has personally affected me and my family.

This paper will be focusing on stranger abductions, safety prevention tips, what to do if you are

affected and information on how you can get involved to help in prevention efforts of this issue.

In October of 1989 Jacob Wetterling was abducted at gunpoint while coming home from

a convenience store with his brother and friend where they had just rented a movie when they

were approached by a stranger who we recently discovered as Danny Heinrich. He took Jacob

back to his car, handcuffed him behind his back and placed him in the passenger seat. He then

drove to Paynesville, where he molested Jacob and later killing him. Heinrich then buried Jacob

in a grave he had dug. ( Louwagie, Pam and Brooks, Jennifer Sept. 2016) This is a story that has

touch America and has especially touched me. It has touched me because Jacob was a relative

of mine and his story has affected me deeply. This is the reason the focus of this paper is stranger

abductions.

When someone thinks about stranger abductions, the image of what happened to Jacob is

usually the image they vision. The image of a man grabbing a child, putting them into a car

driving to a remote location, sexually molesting them and then killing them. This image is not

the only image anyone else should picture when thinking about child abduction. It is however a

real image of what can happen in stranger abduction case.

CHILD ABDUCTION PREVENTION AND TRAINING

3
The facts are, less than a quarter of child abductions are done by a stranger. Stranger

kidnapping victimizes more females than males about 74% more. It victimizes both teenagers

and school-age children. They usually occur primarily at outdoor locations. They usually

involve the use of a firearm. 20 percent of the children reported to the National Center for

Missing and Exploited. Children in nonfamily abductions are not usually found alive. In 80

percent of abductions by strangers, the first contact between the child and the abduction occurs

within a quarter mile of the child's home. Most potential abductors grab their victims on the

street or try to lure them into their vehicles. Acting quickly is critical. Seventy-four percent of

abducted children who are ultimately murdered and are dead within three hours of the

abduction. (Karin A. Bilich, Karin A (n.d)) The majority of non-family child abductions (80

percent) are motivated by sexual intentions. Less than 5 percent of children kidnapped by

strangers are never found. (According to Children Laws (n.d))

Child abduction is still a concern for every parent. Even though rates of child

abductions and missing persons have dropped 31 percent between 1997 and 2011, (Finkelhor,

David Nov. 2016) it is still a concern especially when it comes to stranger abductions as these

usually dont end with a child coming home unharmed. This is why it is important to understand

the prevention tips, what to do if something would happen to your child and how you can get

involved to help in these prevention efforts.

Safety prevention is the key concept when it comes to the prevention of child abduction.

The safety preventions tips discussed below are, the importance of hanging out in groups,

trusting your instincts, and how to say no to an adult and get away.
CHILD ABDUCTION PREVENTION AND TRAINING

4
According to the Jacob Wetterling Resource Center (n.d), the best safety prevention

concept is to hang out in groups. You should always encourage your children and teens to walk

to and from school with friends, or go to the mall in groups or even when playing outside it is

important to have someone at least by you. Parents should also know the names and contact

information of the kids your own children and teens hang out with. Secondly, it is important to

trust your instincts. If you have that uh-oh feeling you should leave that situation and go tell an

adult. You should teach your children how to recognize that instinct. (According to the Jacob

Wetterling Resource Center (n.d),) Finally, it is really important to teach your child on how to

get away. Parents need to share how to say no to an adult. It is important to say no loudly and

then try to get away from that situation. It is also important for the child to realize it is never

their fault and that you love them. It is also important for children to know how to dial 911 if

help is needed and it is something you should practice at home.

Safety prevention is key in helping to prevent child abduction. It is always important to

have someone with you, to trust your instinct and to know how to get away. Even if your child

follows these rules it is still possible for something to happen to them. It would just make it

more difficult to happen and the reason why these concepts are talked about.

When you or a family member is victimized it is important to access expert assistance as

well as emotional support during this difficult time. This is especially important when locating a

missing child or dealing with exploited children. Many people just dont where to start so having

the right tools is especially important. Knowing who to call, locating photos, writing notes of

everything and everyone you have talked to since the disappearance are all important steps into
CHILD ABDUCTION PREVENTION AND TRAINING

5
dealing with a missing child (According to the Jacob Wetterling Foundation (n.d). Social media

such as the Amber Alert can also help in the investigation of a missing child.

The police are the first number you need to dial. Agencies are unable to help you until

you have contacted law enforcement. Next, you should contact the National Center for Missing

and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Their number is 800-THE LOST. This agency can help with

creating posters and make sure they are distributed through several resources. They will also ask

you several questions and then forward your information to a case manager. Next, you will need

to locate current photos. It is important to get these photos to law enforcement and to the

NCMEC right away. It is also very important when looking for photos that you find one that

shows all details of your child. (According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited

Children (n.d)). This includes hair, eyes, teeth, head and shoulders. It is important that it is a

candid photo so people have an idea of what the person looks during a normal day. This is where

having a child id kit would be helpful. A good child kit would include, a current photo like

discussed above, description, dental records, fingerprints, DNA sample, and medical

reports(According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (n.d)). It is also

important to write down everything. This includes people you have talked with and the details of

those conversations. This information can be used for the investigation so it is extremely

important. (According to the Jacob Wetterling Resource Center (n.d)) Finally, the AMBER

Alert Program is also a great social media tool to assist in the search of your child. The

AMBER Alert Program is a voluntary partnership between law-enforcement agencies,

broadcasters, transportation agencies, and the wireless industry, to activate an urgent bulletin in

the most serious child-abduction cases. The goal of an AMBER Alert is to instantly galvanize the
CHILD ABDUCTION PREVENTION AND TRAINING

6
entire community to assist in the search for and the safe recovery of the child. AMBER plans

require law enforcement to confirm abduction prior to issuing an alert. This is essential when

determining the level of risk to the child. Clearly, stranger abductions are the most dangerous for

children and thus are primary to the mission of an AMBER Alert. To allow activations in the

absence of significant information that abduction has occurred could lead to abuse of the system

and ultimately weaken its effectiveness. At the same time, each case must be appraised on its

own merits and a judgment call made quickly. Law enforcement must understand that a best

judgment approach, based on the evidence, is appropriate and necessary. (Amber Alert

Broadcast Emergency Response (n.d)

Every missing persons investigation is different and the first 24 hours is the most

important. (According to The National Missing Persons Coordination Centre (n.d)) Knowing all

the steps to take when your child goes missing is the most important such as who to call, locating

photos, writing notes and using social media. All of these steps are important to successfully

locate and bring home your child.

Getting involved in the in the prevention efforts of child abduction is very important.

There are several ways that someone can help. The first way someone can help is by donating to

an organization or foundation specializing in these efforts. Secondly, someone can volunteer at

an organization or a foundation. Volunteering might require you to go through some training

first, but many times it is not extensive. Lastly, someone from an organization can come speak

to your group. This can be a school, daycare center or any other group interested in child

abduction. If you do decide you want to get involved first check with what organizations are

looking for help. Next call and schedule an appointment to talk with someone. The most
CHILD ABDUCTION PREVENTION AND TRAINING

7
important thing in the prevention efforts of child abduction is to get involved either financially,

or through volunteer efforts.

In conclusion there are thousands of child abductions a year and unfortunately there isnt a

program of identification tool to prevent these abductions from happening. It is important that

adults teach their children the prevention tips such as hanging out in groups, trusting your

instincts, and how to say no and to get away. Just as it is important for adults to teach their kids

this tips, it is also important that they obtain a child identity kit. This is crucial when it comes to

locating a child once they have gone missing. It is also important to get involved. This can be

done by either donating time or money to an organization that helps in the prevention of child

abductions. Finally it is important to remember that the community and parents all need to work

together to ensure our childrens safety. This is just not one persons responsibility but a

communitys
CHILD ABDUCTION PREVENTION AND TRAINING

Child Abduction Prevention and Training

References

"AMBER Alert - America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response." AMBER Alert -

America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2016.

Bilich, Karin A. "Child Abduction Facts." Parents. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2016.

"Call 1-800-843-5678." The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. N.p., n.d.

Web. 29 Nov. 2016.

"Facts You Need to Know About The Country Wide Child Abduction Statistics."

Abduction Statistics - Children Laws | Laws.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2016.

"FAQs." National Missing Persons Coordination Centre. N.p., 28 Nov. 2016. Web. 29

Nov. 2016.

Finkelhor, David. "Five Myths about Missing Children." Washington Post. N.p., 10 May

2013. Web. 29 Nov. 2016.

Kohner, Mike. "Jacob Wetterling Resource Center." Jacob Wetterling Resource Center -

Gundersen National Child Protection Training Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2016.

Louwagie, Pam, and Jennifer Brooks. "Danny Heinrich Confessed to Abducting and

Killing Jacob Wetterling." Star Tribune. N.p., 7 Sept. 2016. Web. 29 Nov. 2016.
CHILD ABDUCTION PREVENTION AND TRAINING

9
CHILD ABDUCTION PREVENTION AND TRAINING

10