A Look at Missing Child Statistics

When a child goes missing, everyone in the community is affected, especially those who have children themselves or who know the missing child. Child abduction is a crime that will have a lasting effect on everyone involved, particularly the family of the child.

According the FBI's National Crime Information Center, parents call the police 2,100 times per day to report a child who has disappeared for any length of time. While most of these return home safely within minutes or hours, it is the cases in which the disappearance stretches to days that make national news.

A stereotypical kidnapping, in which a child is snatched by a stranger, occurs an average of 115 times each year, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. While these cases stay in the memories of residents for decades, the actual occurrence of a stranger abduction is rare. It is far more likely that the abductor will be someone the child knows, maybe even a family member. Over 200,000 children are taken by family members each year. Still, the possibility for both types of abductions should certainly be recognized. Even though statistics prove strangers abducting children is a rare occurrence, these statistics don't offer any comfort to the parents of a child who is missing.

A third category of child abductions is only now coming to light, and these are cases in which the missing child has been lured by information posted online. Are your children or teens active on social networking sites like MySpace? Do they chat online with people they don't know in real life? The internet has unfortunately created numerous opportunities for criminals to prey on children. Criminals posing as other kids and teens can easily strike up a conversation with your unsuspecting children.

How can parents protect their children from lurking dangers? Education is your best tool for defense, although you must teach your kids not only about the dangers of strangers, but also about the possibility of dangers in acquaintances, people in positions of power, or even family members. As a parent, it is your responsibility to take the necessary security precautions, from locking doors and windows to keeping the computer in a family room where you can monitor internet use.

Furthermore, it is not enough to tell your child to avoid talking to strangers or "just say no." Children are vulnerable because they are small and easily overpowered. Arm them with devices to protect themselves or summon adult help, such as a personal alarm. There are even child alarms shaped like panda bears or other child-friendly animals to help you and your children feel more at ease with the device.

If your child ever goes missing, for any length of time, what should you do? First, call the police. They can issue an Amber Alert, which has resulted in nearly 500 children being recovered to date. Second, they will help you search the area and question any suspects in the disappearance. The police have the ability to bring together the resources of media and journalists, the general public, and other law enforcement agencies to bring your child home quickly and safely.

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Child ID Cards - Over 2100 Children Go Missing Each Day, A Child ID Card Can Help Find a Lost Child

The U.S. Department of Justice reports:

o 797,500 children (younger than 18) were reported missing in a one-year period of time studied resulting in an average of 2,185 children being reported missing each day.

o 203,900 children were the victims of family abductions.

o 58,200 children were the victims of non-family abductions.

o 115 children were the victims of "stereotypical" kidnapping. (These crimes involve someone the child does not know or someone of slight acquaintance, who holds the child overnight, transports the child 50 miles or more, kills the child, demands ransom, or intends to keep the child permanently.)

While these statistics are startling, the risk of a child missing or being kidnapped, as far as percentages go, is really quite low. They are low, that is, until it becomes your child. Should the situation arise that your child is missing, there are certain pieces of information that you need to have readily at hand to give to emergency authorities. They include:

*A recent photo of the child

*Medical information pertaining to the child

*Any identifying marks

*Physical information such as color of eyes, hair, or do they wear glasses

This information can be kept on a piece of paper at home along with a picture, but what happens if you don't have access to that information? Say you are at the mall when your child disappears, what do you have to help police or security guards?

One answer is that you have a child ID card in your wallet that contains all the pertinent information that authorities need to find your child. The information that provides critical ID information to authorities will go a long way in helping to find your child. It is also recommended that you keep a picture of your child on your cell phone for emailing or download.

It also needs to be noted that approximately 85% of children under the age of 16 carry no form of ID. The risk then arises that if your child is in an accident away from home, say at the skateboard park, and injured or rendered unconscious, they will have no information on their person that First Responders can use in either treating them or in getting in contact with you.

There are countless other examples where the need for your child to carry an ID card will arise. If you are on vacation and in an auto accident and rendered unconscious, will your child have information about them that lists any medication or physical conditions? The times the need for an ID card arises are countless.

It is recommended that your child have an ID card and you have one as well. Additionally, the card should be updated once a year (usually on the child's birthday) or as medical conditions change. Information that should be on the card includes:

*Photo

*Address

*Color of hair and eyes

*Identifying marks

*Contacts with at least two phone number

*Medicines and allergies

*Doctor's name and phone

*Dentist's name and phone

The card should be made of a durable plastic. This way there is little risk of it being ruined when the child is playing or should the card get wet. Another reason for a plastic card is the sense of importance it brings to the child-they'll have a real ID card just like their parents driver's license.

A Child ID Card will prove to be a great tool in the case of an emergency or missing child. We recommend that you give one to your child and keep the other in your wallet. And make sure you keep the card up to date.

In today's society, it is so easy for a child to become lost or missing. Help increase the chances of them being found with the information that will be on your Child ID Card.

To see this and other forms of ID, please visit our web site http://www.familyidkit.com