It is said the death of one’s child is unthinkable but not knowing the whereabouts of a child is unimaginable. In 2019, there were 421,394 American children reported missing. About half of these are victims abducted by family members, usually involving a custody matter. Others were abducted by non-family members who knew the victim and usually target the child for sex. Kidnappings by strangers are also usually committed with this motive. Lately, the vast majority of these children have been returned to their homes due in part to the advent of smart phones and GPS technology. Studies show missing children are more likely to be quickly located if their disappearance is immediately reported. Advocates say the child recovery rate for the most dangerous cases of missing children is about 96% and the rate of all missing children returning home alive is nearly 99%.
Pending Legislation: H.R.1764 - National Child Identification Act of 2021
Sponsor: Rep. Donald Norcross (NJ)
Status: House Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security (Judiciary)
Chair: Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (TX)
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