The AMBER Alert Plan and Protecting Children

(Featured June 6, 2005)

Robert Hugh Farley, M.S.
Consultant to the VIRTUS Programs

January 13, 2005, marked the 10^th anniversary of the abduction of 9-year-old Amber Hagerman in Arlington, Texas. Amber was riding her bicycle when she was snatched off the street in broad daylight and then brutally murdered. The Hagerman murder remains unsolved.

The community outrage that was generated by this crime prompted hundreds of calls to Dallas/Fort Worth radio stations. During the calls, local citizens not only vented their rage, but also suggested ideas for preventing similar future tragedies. The result was a grassroots and voluntary partnership between law enforcement, the broadcast media, and the public. The result of this unique partnership was the development of America's Missing Broadcast Emergency Response or what is simply called the AMBER alert plan.

Background

AMBER is an alert system that was first established in the United States—and since adopted in Canada—that is used to publicize child abductions. The AMBER alert plan is limited to "abducted" children and, therefore, excludes children who are believed to be runaways or “throwaways” from home. Once a law enforcement agency has been notified about an abducted child, they must first determine whether the case meets the AMBER alert plan guidelines for triggering an alert. This determination includes the following criteria:

• There is reasonable belief by law enforcement that an abduction has occurred;

• The abduction is of a child, age 17 years or younger;

• The law-enforcement agency believes that the child is in imminent danger of serious bodily injury or death;

• There is enough descriptive information about the victim and the abduction for law enforcement to issue an AMBER alert to assist in the recovery of the child.

Child custody disputes frequently don't qualify for activating an AMBER alert unless the safety of the child (or children) is a concern. In some jurisdictions the AMBER plan has been used to send out alerts about missing people with Alzheimer's or other disabilities although, this technically does not meet the criteria or guidelines for an alert.

Across the United States, the priority for AMBER alerts is given to children who are abducted by strangers. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) has advised that it is in these situations that the children are in the gravest danger. Further, immediate response time is an essential consideration in these cases because U.S. Justice Department statistics suggest that in cases of so-called "stranger abductions," children are three times as likely to be murdered, and often within the first six hours.

Facilitating an AMBER alert

When an abduction occurs in an area where the AMBER plan is operational, the police will prepare an alert containing information such as the child's and/or abductor's description and other relevant information. A special press notification is then sent to television and radio stations that are designated as "Emergency Broadcasters" under the protocols that were established during the Cold War. Getting the alert on the air immediately is a priority, as time is a crucial factor in safe child rescues. Radio stations will interrupt their programming and TV stations will show a text "crawl" along the bottom of the screen. In some states, such as Illinois, roadside traffic signs may show text information on the abduction or, depending on the technology, may even show photos of the child and/or suspected abductor.

In order to air the description of the abducted child and suspected abductor, local broadcasters use the Emergency Alert System (EAS), which was formerly called the Emergency Broadcast System. This notification or alert is basically the same concept that is used during severe weather emergencies. The telecommunications industry has even joined in this venture by utilizing text messages within their communication network to help in the search. Through this partnership, the eyes of the entire community can be used to assist law enforcement in both the search for and the safe return of the child.

When activated, the AMBER alert contains specific information regarding the victim, the offender and, if possible, the offender’s vehicle information. The broadcast media assists law enforcement by getting the message of the child abduction out to the public immediately. The public assists law enforcement by reporting sightings of the child, the offender or any other related information. The ultimate goal of an AMBER alert is to save the life of the abducted child.

Prior to 2001, only four states had statewide AMBER plans. In the fall of 2001, the NCMEC launched a national campaign to encourage the development of AMBER alert plans across the country. Since that time, the campaign has led to the creation of more than 100 known AMBER plans nationwide.

Today, there are 49 statewide AMBER plans and a number of local or regional plans. In addition, several of the Canadian provinces are now interconnected with the AMBER alert plan. England has also developed its own plan, called the “Child Rescue Alert,” that is modeled after the AMBER plan.

In April 2003, President Bush signed federal AMBER alert legislation making it a national program. While the AMBER alert system is now mandated across the country, some states are still trying to implement the procedures necessary for bringing the alerts to the public. Hampered by outdated Emergency Broadcast guidelines and different activation criteria in each state, the system still needs a fair amount of work to be fully effective.

On April 7, 2005, the NCMEC reported that since its inception, the AMBER alert program is credited with locating 198 children in the United States and Canada. In some situations, the intense media attention connected with the AMBER alerts has even led abductors to release their victims. The AMBER plan has also been credited with what some in law enforcement have called the "exceptionally fast" rescue of abducted children.

Conclusion

Some critics of the AMBER plan have complained that an AMBER alert has the potential to stir up community activism such as vigilante hysteria and dangerous car chases. Also, some people feel that too many of the alerts could water down their impact and may even create apathy on the part of the public.

For this reason many states have issued far fewer alerts than one might expect, and most law enforcement agencies adhere to strict enforcement of the alert guidelines. As a result, the public currently respects and responds to AMBER alerts because citizens understand that the AMBER alerts are issued only in life threatening situations.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Internet has become the new schoolyard for child molesters seeking girls or boys to victimize. For 2005, the VIRTUS^® programs present an intensive training seminar that illustrates the growing problem of sexual predators who target children via the Internet. The seminar identifies and then discusses the methodologies and seduction techniques employed by the child molester in the various chat rooms and on the World Wide Web. Additionally, the seminar examines the topics of child erotica, child pornography, and their use by the child molester. Lastly, the seminar explores safety techniques and software that can be used to protect children.

Robert Hugh Farley, M.S., a 30-year veteran of the Cook County Sheriff’s Police Department in Chicago, Illinois, presents this eye-opening seminar. As a highly decorated detective and deputy United States Marshal, Detective Farley has had over 28 years experience conducting and supervising all aspects of child abuse investigations—from sexual abuse to child homicide.

For more information on this seminar, click here to download and print a one-page description.

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