Federal Resources On Missing and Exploited Children
Federal Resources On Missing and Exploited Children
Federal Resources On Missing and Exploited Children
Department of Justice
Office of Justice Programs
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
Federal Resources on
Missing and
ExploitEd ChildrEn
A Directory for Law Enforcement
and Other Public and Private Agencies
FiFth Edition
Innovation
•
Partnerships
•
Safer Neighborhoods
Federal Resources on Missing and Exploited Children:
Fifth Edition
2007
Office of Justice Programs
810 Seventh Street NW.
Washington, DC 20531
Alberto R. Gonzales
Attorney General
Regina B. Schofield
Assistant Attorney General
J. Robert Flores
Administrator
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
This document was prepared by Fox Valley Technical College under Cooperative Agreement 2005–
MC–CX–K116 from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office of Justice
Programs, U.S. Department of Justice.
Points of view or opinions expressed in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily
represent the official positions or policies of OJJDP or the U.S. Department of Justice.
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention is a component of the Office of Justice
Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the
National Institute of Justice, and the Office for Victims of Crime.
Foreword
Unfortunately, children are reported missing, abducted, or exploited daily. Our response to these
offenses must be swift, efficient, and effective. The coordination and collaboration of federal
activities relating to missing and exploited children is an important tool in fighting these crimes. The
Federal Agency Task Force for Missing and Exploited Children’s mission is to coordinate federal
resources and services to meet the needs of missing, abducted, and exploited children and their
families. As such, it plays an important role in responding to those who have been offended.
In the 11 years since the Task Force came into existence, we have made great strides in our quest to
make our country safer for our children. The passage into law of the Prosecutorial Remedies and
Other Tools to End the Exploitation of Children Today (PROTECT) Act in 2003 gave us a powerful
instrument in eradicating crime. The law strengthened law enforcement’s ability to investigate,
prosecute, and punish violent crimes committed against children. In addition, the law formally
established the role of the federal government in the AMBER (America’s Missing: Broadcast
Emergency Response) Alert System. This system is operational in all 50 states, Canada, Puerto Rico,
and internationally.
We have many technological innovations, such as secondary distribution and wireless alerts that send
the public a rapid message and diminish the chances of a crime succeeding. We have implemented
programs to address and fight these heinous crimes. The Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC)
program is a national network of 46 task forces that include personnel from federal, state, and local
law enforcement agencies. ICAC strongly supports Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a new federal
initiative aimed at combating the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes
against children. PSC and ICAC illustrate the importance of partnerships in our drive to keep our
children safe.
However, the problems of missing, abducted, and exploited children are complex and multifaceted.
Communities, along with the federal government, must be galvanized into action. Crimes against
children severely strain the resources of the investigating agency. The publication of this fifth edition
of the Directory is one valuable resource in our action plan. I encourage you to familiarize yourself
with the contents of the Directory and use it in your work with other agencies and communities in
protecting our children. Coordination and collaboration are critical in keeping our children safe.
Thousands of the resource directories have been distributed and I applaud the Task Force for its
efforts in keeping the information current and accessible. I invite you to use this Directory as we work
together to protect our children.
J. Robert Flores
Administrator
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
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Federal Agency Task Force
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Acknowledgments
Compiling a directory of this type requires the commitment, dedication, and cooperation of many
agencies and many persons within those agencies. The Task Force wishes to thank the following
individuals who generously gave their time and energy to the revised version of the Directory.
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Table of Contents
Foreword ...............................................................................................................................................iii
Federal Agency Task Force for Missing and Exploited Children .......................................................... v
Acknowledgments ................................................................................................................................vii
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................1
List of Acronyms..................................................................................................................................13
Federal Agencies.................................................................................................................................17
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Child Protection Division .......................69
-ix
U.S. Postal Service ...............................................................................................................................83
Organizations......................................................................................................................................87
Appendixes........................................................................................................................................107
Appendix 1. Department of Defense Investigative Liaisons for Law Enforcement Agencies ......109
Appendix 2. Organizations Concerned With the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect: State
Contacts.....................................................................................................................123
Appendix 3. Family and Youth Services Bureau Regional Leadership Contacts .........................127
in Charge ...................................................................................................................129
Appendix 9. Office of Children’s Issues International Abduction and Custody Information .......155
Appendix 10. U.S. Postal Inspection Service Division Boundaries and Child Exploitation
Investigations Specialists...........................................................................................159
Appendix 12. National Center for Missing & Exploited Children State Clearinghouse List ...........167
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Introduction
On May 25, 1995, the 12th annual Missing Children’s Day, Former Attorney General Janet Reno
announced the creation of the Federal Agency Task Force for Missing and Exploited Children. The
mission of the Task Force is to coordinate federal resources and services to effectively address the needs of
missing, abducted, and exploited children and their families. The Task Force does the following:
Serves as an advocate for missing and exploited children and their families.
Initiates positive change to enhance services and resources for missing and exploited children,
their families, and the agencies and organizations that serve them.
Promotes communication and cooperation among agencies and organizations at the federal level.
The Task Force includes representatives from 16 federal agencies and 2 private agencies that work directly
with cases involving missing, abducted, and exploited children and their families. As used in this
Directory, the term “missing child” refers to any youth under the age of 18 whose whereabouts are
unknown to his or her legal guardian. This includes children who have been abducted or kidnapped by a
family or a nonfamily member, a child who has run away from home, a child who is a throwaway, or a
child who is otherwise missing. It also includes both national and international abductions. The term “child
exploitation” refers to any child under the age of 18 who has been exploited or victimized for profit or
personal advantage. This includes children who are victims of pornography, prostitution, sexual tourism,
trafficking, and sexual abuse.
Missing and/or exploited child cases are extremely challenging and frustrating to the practitioners handling
these cases. The devastating impact occurs simultaneously on so many fronts—child, family, community,
law enforcement, public and private agencies—each one looking for immediate answers. Timing is crucial;
a rapid response increases the chance of successful case resolution.
The federal Directory is one effective resource that can be used by agencies and organizations involved in
the safe recovery of missing children. The Directory contains current information and links to other
agencies that can help in finding a solution. It describes the role of each Task Force agency in the location
and recovery of missing and exploited children, the types of services and support that are available, the
procedures for accessing these services, and instructions for obtaining additional information. To make the
information more accessible, the next section, Where To Get Help, categorizes the types of assistance
offered by each agency. In addition, telephone quick reference cards can be removed and kept where most
needed; addresses and phone numbers are correct as of the date of publication. Agency information is
listed in alphabetical order.
The Directory is intended to provide added information and linkages to increase and promote agency
coordination. It is one more tool in aiding practitioners in dealing with the many challenges of returning
children safely.
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The resource Directory is available from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention’s
Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse:
P.O. Box 6000
Rockville, MD 20849–6000
800–851–3420
301–519–5500 (international calls)
877–712–9279 or 301–947–8374 (TTY for hearing impaired)
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Where To Get Help
Agencies that provide . . .
TRAINING
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
U.S. Department of Education
Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Children’s Bureau Office on Child Abuse and Neglect
Family and Youth Services Bureau
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
U.S. Department of Justice
Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Office for Victims of Crime
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention/
Child Protection Division
U.S. National Central Bureau (INTERPOL)
U.S. Department of State
Office of Children’s Issues
U.S. Postal Service
U.S. Postal Inspection Service
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
U.S. Department of Defense
Family Advocacy Program
U.S. Department of Education
Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Children’s Bureau Office on Child Abuse and Neglect
Family and Youth Services Bureau
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
U.S. Department of Justice
Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Office for Victims of Crime
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention/
Child Protection Division
U.S. Department of State
Office of Children’s Issues
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LEGAL ASSISTANCE TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
U.S. Department of Defense
Legal Assistance Offices
LITIGATION ASSISTANCE
U.S. Department of Justice
Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section
PUBLICATIONS
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
U.S. Department of Defense
Family Advocacy Program
U.S. Department of Education
Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Children’s Bureau Office on Child Abuse and Neglect
Family and Youth Services Bureau
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Secret Service/Forensic Services Division
U.S. Department of Justice
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Office for Victims of Crime
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention/
Child Protection Division
U.S. Department of State
Office of Children’s Issues
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FEDERAL PROSECUTORS
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
U.S. Department of Justice
Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section
Federal Bureau of Investigation
U.S. National Central Bureau (INTERPOL)
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Office of Inspector General
U.S. Department of State
Office of Children’s Issues
U.S. Postal Service
U.S. Postal Inspection Service
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LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
U.S. Department of Defense
Family Advocacy Program
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
U.S. Secret Service/Forensic Services Division
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Office of Inspector General
U.S. Department of Justice
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Office for Victims of Crime
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention/
Child Protection Division
U.S. National Central Bureau (INTERPOL)
U.S. Department of State
Office of Children’s Issues
U.S. Postal Service
U.S. Postal Inspection Service
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NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Children’s Bureau Office on Child Abuse and Neglect
U.S. Department of Justice
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Office for Victims of Crime
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention/
Child Protection Division
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS
Association of Missing and Exploited Children’s Organizations, Inc.
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (and Team H.O.P.E.)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Children’s Bureau Office on Child Abuse and Neglect
Family and Youth Services Bureau
U.S. Department of Justice
Office for Victims of Crime
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention/
Child Protection Division
U.S. Department of State
Office of Children’s Issues
GENERAL PUBLIC
Association of Missing and Exploited Children’s Organizations, Inc.
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (and Team H.O.P.E.)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Children’s Bureau Office on Child Abuse and Neglect
Family and Youth Services Bureau
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
U.S. Department of Justice
Office for Victims of Crime
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention/
Child Protection Division
U.S. Department of State
Office of Children’s Issues
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Agencies that provide assistance on cases involving . . .
PARENTAL KIDNAPPING
Association of Missing and Exploited Children’s Organizations, Inc.
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (and Team H.O.P.E.)
U.S. Department of Defense
Legal Assistance Offices
U.S. Department of Justice
Federal Bureau of Investigation
U.S. National Central Bureau (INTERPOL)
U.S. Department of State
Office of Children’s Issues
RUNAWAY CHILDREN
Association of Missing and Exploited Children’s Organizations, Inc.
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (and Team H.O.P.E.)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Family and Youth Services Bureau
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Secret Service/Forensic Services Division
U.S. Department of Justice
U.S. National Central Bureau (INTERPOL)
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CHILD SEXUAL EXPLOITATION
Association of Missing and Exploited Children’s Organizations, Inc.
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (and Team H.O.P.E.)
U.S. Department of Defense
Family Advocacy Program
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Children’s Bureau Office on Child Abuse and Neglect
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
U.S. Secret Service/Forensic Services Division
U.S. Department of Justice
Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Office for Victims of Crime
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention/Child Protection Division
U.S. National Central Bureau (INTERPOL)
U.S. Postal Service
U.S. Postal Inspection Service
CHILD PROSTITUTION
Association of Missing and Exploited Children’s Organizations, Inc.
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (and Team H.O.P.E.)
U.S. Department of Justice
Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Office for Victims of Crime
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention/Child Protection Division
U.S. National Central Bureau (INTERPOL)
CHILD PORNOGRAPHY
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
U.S. Secret Service/Forensic Services Division
U.S. Department of Justice
Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Office for Victims of Crime
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention/Child Protection Division
U.S. National Central Bureau (INTERPOL)
U.S. Postal Service
U.S. Postal Inspection Service
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INTERNET CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
U.S. Secret Service/Forensic Services Division
U.S. Department of Justice
Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Office for Victims of Crime
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention/Child Protection Division
U.S. National Central Bureau (INTERPOL)
U.S. Postal Service
U.S. Postal Inspection Service
SEXUAL TOURISM
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
U.S. Secret Service/Forensic Services Division
U.S. Department of Justice
Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section
INTERNATIONAL ABDUCTION
Association of Missing and Exploited Children’s Organizations, Inc.
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (and Team H.O.P.E.)
INTERNATIONAL ADOPTION
U.S. Department of Justice
U.S. National Central Bureau (INTERPOL)
U.S. Department of State
Office of Children’s Issues
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Agencies that provide 24-hour information and referral sources to children
and their families . . .
Association of Missing and Exploited Children’s Organizations, Inc.
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (and Team H.O.P.E.)
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List of Acronyms
ACYF – Administration on Children, Youth and Families
AFIS – Automated Fingerprint Identification System
AMBER Alert – America’s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response Alert
AMECO – Association of Missing and Exploited Children’s Organizations, Inc.
BAU – Behavioral Analysis Unit
BCP – Basic Center Program
CA/OCS/CI – Bureau of Consular Affairs/Overseas Citizens Services/Office of Children’s Issues
CAC – Crimes Against Children
CACU – Crimes Against Children Unit
CAPTA – Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act
CARP – Child Abduction Response Plan
CASMIRC – Child Abduction and Serial Murder Investigative Resources Center
CBCAP – Community-Based Grants for the Prevention of Child Abuse or Neglect Program
CEOS – Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section
CJA – Children’s Justice Act
CMU – Crisis Management Unit
CPD – Child Protection Division
DoD – Department of Defense
ECSAP – Electronic Crimes Special Agent Program
ECU – Exploited Child Unit
FBI – Federal Bureau of Investigation
FISH – Forensic Information System for Handwriting
FYSB – Family and Youth Services Bureau
HHS OIG – U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General
HUD – U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
IAFIS – Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System
ICAC – Internet Crimes Against Children
ICE – Immigration and Customs Enforcement
IIU – Innocent Images Unit
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TLP – Transitional Living Program
TTAC – Training and Technical Assistance Center
UFAP – Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution
USNCB – U.S. National Central Bureau (INTERPOL)
VICAP – Violent Criminal Apprehension Program
VOCA – Victims of Crime Act
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FEDERAL AGENCIES
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Services
If more than one child is a victim of sexual abuse in an out-of-home care setting, the service may
convene a multidisciplinary technical assistance team for the installation at the request of the
installation commander, or the Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Personnel & Readiness)
may deploy a joint service multidisciplinary team of specially trained personnel from the four services
to provide technical assistance. Technical assistance may include law enforcement investigations,
forensic medical examinations, forensic mental health examinations, and victim assistance to the child
and family.
The primary recipients at the installation are the Family Advocacy Program Manager, the
investigators of the installation law enforcement agency, and the physicians and mental health
professionals at the military treatment facility or those who provide services under contract.
For cases involving missing and exploited children, appendix 1 lists the investigative liaisons for law
enforcement agencies.
Availability of Services
Services are available to (1) members of the armed services who are on active duty and their family
members who are eligible for treatment in a military treatment facility, and (2) members of a reserve
or National Guard component who are on active duty and their family members who are eligible for
treatment in a military treatment facility.
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At the request of the installation commander, a multidisciplinary team is convened by the Family
Advocacy Program Manager for a particular service. A joint service team may be deployed by the
Office of the Principal Deputy Under Secretary (Personnel & Readiness) at the request of the
installation commander. These services are directed to cases in which multiple children are victims of
sexual abuse in an out-of-home care setting.
The United States Army Military Police School provides family advocacy-related law enforcement
training and consultation services in domestic violence intervention, child abuse investigations, sexual
assault investigations, and critical incident peer support.
Publications
Copies of the following publications are available from www.dtic.mil/whs/directives.
DoD 6400.1–M–1, Manual for Child Maltreatment and Domestic Abuse Incident Reporting
System.
DoD Directive 5525.9, Compliance of DoD Members, Employees, and Family Members
Outside the United States With Court Orders.
Agency Contact
For further information, contact the appropriate Department of Defense Family Advocacy Program
Manager listed below:
Army
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Family Advocacy Law Enforcement Training U.S. Army Military Police School
401 MANSCEN Loop Thurman Hall, Suite 1721
Fort Leonard Wood, MO 65473
Phone: 573–563–8061
Fax: 573–563–8062
E-mail: [email protected]
Air Force
Navy
Marine Corps
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Services
Responsibility for ensuring a service member’s compliance with child custody orders is placed with
that service member’s commander. Legal assistance offices provide advice to active-duty and retired
service members and their family members on personal civil legal matters, but do not provide
representation in civilian court. The legal assistance offices listed below can provide assistance in
locating a service member and will coordinate with the local legal office where that service member is
stationed. That local legal office provides legal assistance to the service member’s commander. The
legal assistance offices listed below are also the points of contact for the State Department in cases of
international abduction of the children of service members.
Availability of Services
Legal advice is available to active-duty and retired service members and their family members who
are parents of children who have been abducted. In all other cases, services are limited to assistance in
locating the service member and coordinating with the local legal office or commander. Representa
tion in civilian court is not provided. Services may be obtained directly by a parent at the service’s
legal assistance agency or through the legal office where the service member is stationed. The parent
seeking assistance must have a valid court order for custody or visitation.
Publications
Copies of the following publication are available from the Military Family Resource Center:
DoD Directive 5525.9, Compliance of DoD Members, Employees, and Family Members
Outside the United States With Court Orders.
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Agency Contact
For further information, contact the appropriate Department of Defense Legal Assistance Office listed
below:
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The Office administers, coordinates, and recommends policy for improving quality and excellence of
programs and activities that are designed to strengthen programs that prevent violence in and around
schools; prevent the illegal use of alcohol, tobacco, and drugs; involve parents; and are coordinated
with related federal, state, and community efforts.
Services
The Safe and Drug-Free Schools Program consists of five major parts: (1) Health, Mental Health,
Environmental Health, and Physical Education, (2) State Grants for Drug and Violence Prevention
Programs, (3) National Programs, (4) Character and Civic Education, and (5) Policy and Cross-
Cutting Issues.
The Health, Mental Health, Environmental Health, and Physical Education group administers
programs that promote the health and well-being of students and families. The Health Programs
provide financial assistance to expand and improve physical education and counseling programs and
to increase student access to quality mental health care.
The State Grants Program is a formula grant program that provides funds to state and local education
agencies and to state governors for a broad range of school- and community-based education and
prevention activities.
The National Programs group carries out a variety of discretionary initiatives that respond to emerging
needs and national priorities. Examples of activities funded under National Programs include direct
grants to school districts and communities with serious drug and violence problems, program
evaluation, grants designed to assist recovery efforts in school districts that have experienced
significant violent incidents, and information development and dissemination. Grant competitions are
conducted to address national priorities
The Character and Civic Education group administers programs in character and civics, including
providing financial assistance for character and citizenship education activities in elementary and
secondary schools and institutions of higher education, and reporting on issues and programs,
disseminating information, and providing technical assistance to state agencies and state and local
correctional institutions.
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The Policy and Cross-Cutting Issues group administers discretionary grant initiatives authorized by
Title IV, SDFSCA National Programs, including programs that emphasize coordinated, collaborative
responses to developing and maintaining safe, disciplined, and drug-free learning environments and
improving and strengthening school emergency management plans. Activities may be carried out by
local educational agencies in partnership with local law enforcement officials, local mental health
service providers, firefighters and emergency medical technicians, and other first responders.
Specifically, the group has lead responsibility for the Emergency Response and Crisis Management
Plans Discretionary Grant Program (www.ed.gov/programs/dvpemergencyresponse) and the Safe
Schools/Healthy Students Discretionary Grants Program (www.ed.gov/programs/dvpsafeschools).
Availability of Services
Information about programs for elementary and secondary students that are provided by local schools
and school districts can be obtained by contacting local Safe and Drug-Free Schools coordinators.
State coordinators for Safe and Drug-Free Schools can provide information about statewide programs
operated by state education agencies and governors’ offices.
Publications
The following documents can be obtained free of charge from the Department of Education by calling
877–433–7827:
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Legislative Citations
Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act, Title IV of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965, as amended (20 U.S.C. 7101–7165).
Gun-Free Schools Act, reauthorized as part of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, enacted
in January 2002.
Pro-Children Act of 1994, reauthorized as part of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001,
enacted in January 2002.
Agency Contact
For further information about services, contact:
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In December 1998, an agency reorganization consolidated the functions of the National Center on
Child Abuse and Neglect with those of the Children’s Bureau. This action was taken pursuant to the
Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA), 1996, as amended. At that time, the Office on
Child Abuse and Neglect was created within the Children’s Bureau to provide national leadership and
maintain a national focus on this critical issue. All aspects of CAPTA, as amended in the Keeping
Children and Families Safe Act of 2003, are being implemented by OCAN or are integrated into the
functions of other divisions across the Children’s Bureau.
OCAN provides leadership and direction on the issues of child abuse and neglect, including child
sexual abuse and exploitation, and on the prevention of abuse and neglect under CAPTA. OCAN is
the focal point for interagency collaborative efforts, national conferences, and special initiatives
related to child abuse and neglect and for coordination of activities related to the prevention of abuse
and neglect and the protection of children at risk.
The Children’s Justice Act (CJA) provides funds to support the 50 states, the District of Columbia,
Puerto Rico, and the territories to improve the systems that handle child abuse and neglect cases,
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particularly child sexual abuse cases, and to improve the processes of investigation and prosecution.
Funds are also available to support the analysis of child fatalities involving suspected abuse.
Services
The Child Welfare Information Gateway, formerly called the National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse
and Neglect Information, offers up-to-date information and publications on all aspects of child abuse
and neglect, and child welfare, including prevention, protection, investigation, family support and
preservation, foster care, adoption, and independent living programs.
Availability of Services
The Gateway answers queries from public and private agency personnel, professionals working in
related fields, and the general public.
Publications
The Gateway provides copies of documents and annotated bibliographies on specific topics. Call
800–FYI–3366 or e-mail your request to [email protected]. For more details on publications and
services, consult the Web site: www.childwelfare.gov.
Some of the holdings include the State Statute Series, 2003, which is now available on the Web site
through a searchable database. It offers the following topic areas:
Reporting laws.
Central registries and reporting records.
Permanency planning.
Domestic violence.
The types of publications in the State Statute Series include the Statutes at a Glance Series, which
provides summaries of laws in the following topic areas:
Also available online are a number of Ready Reference publications that provide the full text of laws
in the following selected topic areas:
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Agency Contact
For further information about services, contact:
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U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services
Family and Youth Services Bureau
Agency Description
The Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB) is an agency within the Administration on Children,
Youth and Families, Administration for Children and Families. FYSB provides national leadership on
youth-related issues and helps individuals and organizations to provide comprehensive services for
youth in at-risk situations and for their families. The primary goals of FYSB programs are to provide
positive alternatives for youth, ensure their safety, and maximize their potential to take advantage of
available opportunities. FYSB programs and services support locally based youth services.
Services
Six major FYSB programs relate to missing and exploited children: the Basic Center Program (BCP),
the Transitional Living Program (TLP) for Homeless Youth, the Street Outreach Program (SOP) for
Runaway and Homeless Youth, the National Runaway Switchboard, the National Clearinghouse on
Families and Youth (NCFY), and the Runaway and Homeless Youth Training and Technical
Assistance System.
FYSB’s Basic Center Program supports agencies that provide crisis intervention services to runaway
and homeless youth who are outside the traditional juvenile justice and law enforcement systems. The
goal of the program is to reunite youth with their families, whenever possible, or to find another
suitable placement when reunification is not an option. Discretionary grants are awarded to Basic
Center projects each year on a competitive basis.
There are 342 Basic Center projects across the country. More than three-quarters of these projects are
operated by community-based organizations. Some of the projects are freestanding, single-purpose
emergency shelters, while others are multipurpose youth service agencies. All Basic Center projects
are required to provide a set of essential core services to runaway and homeless youth, including the
following:
Aftercare services to stabilize and strengthen families and to ensure that additional assistance
is available, if necessary.
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Linkages to other local providers for services not available through the Basic Center Program.
Through TLP, FYSB supports projects that provide longer term residential services to homeless youth
ages 16–21. Generally, services are provided for up to 18 months, and an additional 180 days is
allowed for youth younger than 18 years old. These services are designed to help youth who are
homeless make a successful transition to self-sufficient living.
TLP grantees are required to provide youth with stable, safe, living accommodations and services that
help them develop the skills necessary to move to independence. Living accommodations may be host
family homes, group homes, maternity group homes, or “supervised apartments.” (Supervised
apartments are either agency-owned apartment buildings or “scattered site” apartments, which are
single-occupancy apartments rented directly by young people with support from the agency.) TLPs
also provide pregnant or parenting youth with parenting skills, including child development, family
budgeting, health and nutrition, and other skills to promote their long-term economic independence in
order to ensure the well-being of their children. There are 194 Transitional Living Programs
nationally that provide the following:
Safe, supportive living accommodations in group homes, host family homes, or supervised
apartments.
The primary focus of the Street Outreach Program for Runaway and Homeless Youth is the
establishment of ongoing relationships between the staff of local youth service providers and street
youth, with the goal of helping young people leave the streets. There are 144 Street Outreach
Programs nationally.
Local grantee programs provide a range of services directly to or through collaboration with other
agencies, specifically those working to protect and treat young people who have been, or who are at
risk of being, subjected to sexual abuse or exploitation. Those services include the following:
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The National Runaway Switchboard is a confidential, 24-hour, toll-free hotline (800–621–4000) that
provides assistance to runaway and homeless youth and helps them to communicate with their
families and service providers. The switchboard provides the following services to at-risk youth and
their families:
Crisis intervention.
Message relay.
Conference calling.
Home Free (in partnership with Greyhound Lines, Inc.).
Prevention/education/outreach.
Information and referral.
The switchboard uses a computerized national resource directory that includes more than 9,000
resources. In addition, the switchboard maintains a management information system for local
switchboard staff and conducts an annual conference for local switchboard service providers.
In 2005, the National Runaway Switchboard responded to more than 102,000 calls for youth and
families requesting some sort of assistance.
NCFY is a resource for communities interested in developing effective new strategies to support
young people and their families. NCFY serves as a central information source on family and youth
issues for youth service professionals, policymakers, and the general public. Services include the
following:
Issue forums. NCFY facilitates forums that bring together experts in the field to discuss
critical issues and emerging trends and to develop strategies for improving services to families
and youth.
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Materials development. NCFY produces reports on critical issues, best practices, and
promising approaches in the field of family and youth services, and information briefs on
FYSB and its programs.
Networking. NCFY supports FYSB’s efforts to form collaborations with other federal
agencies, state and local governments, national organizations, and local communities to
address the full range of issues facing young people and their families today.
The Family and Youth Services Bureau’s Regional Training and Technical Assistance (T/TA)
Provider system was first established by Congress as “coordinated networks” through the Juvenile
Justice Amendments of 1977 (P.L. 95–115) to the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) of the
Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 (P.L.93–415). (The system currently is
authorized by Part D, Section 342, of the RHYA, as amended by the Runaway, Homeless, and
Missing Children Protection Act (P.L.108–96).) Today, FYSB has cooperative agreements with
regional organizations in the 10 Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Regions to provide
T/TA to FYSB grantees.
The Regional T/TA Providers assist FYSB grantee agencies by helping them develop new approaches
for responding to challenges in serving young people, accessing new resources, and establishing
linkages with other grantees with similar interests and concerns. Through this system, FYSB tracks
regional trends in youth and family issues, identifies and shares best practices, sponsors conferences
and workshops, and provides direct T/TA.
The T/TA Providers work closely with the ACF Regional Office Youth Specialists to identify grantee
needs, including by reviewing the results of visits to grantee programs conducted under the Runaway
and Homeless Youth Program Monitoring System. On the basis of those analyses, T/TA Provider
needs assessments, and grantee requests, the T/TA Providers offer several types of services:
Regional and state-level conferences that address topics of interest to FYSB grantees.
Conferences also provide an opportunity for grantees to network within their region and, in
some cases, to meet with federal regional representatives to discuss programmatic issues and
effective practices and learn firsthand of pending federal initiatives.
Workshops and trainings that address grantees’ issues of concern. Training events range from
1- to 2-day intensive skill-based training seminars to multiday events with a variety of shorter
workshops.
Onsite and telephone consultations to individual grantee agencies, offered by the T/TA
Provider or by grantee staff from the same or another region that has experience and
knowledge in the requester’s area of interest.
Technical assistance that offers grantees capacity assessments and the development of
individualized plans for training and technical assistance.
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Newsletters and special quarterly mailings that offer grantees information on issues and
strategies in the youth service field, new federal legislation and funding opportunities,
innovative program ideas, and other pertinent information.
While the T/TA Providers are responsible for the provision of training and technical assistance
services within their regions, they also collaborate across regions to carry out special projects of
national interest and to ensure consistent quality in FYSB grantee program services across the nation.
Availability of Services
Services provided by FYSB are directed to runaway and homeless youth and their families. To locate
a service provider in your community or to secure services, contact the regional center serving your
area (see appendix 3). Runaway and Homeless Youth Programs may also be located via the Family
and Youth Services Bureau Web site at www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/fysb.
Publications
Team Up With Youth! A Guide for Businesses
Team Up With Youth! A Guide for Local and State Governments
Team Up With Youth! A Guide for the Media
Team Up With Youth! A Guide for Schools
Team Up With Youth! A Guide for Youth Service Professionals
Supporting Youth by Educating Communities
Transitional Living Programs Move Homeless Youth Closer to Independence
Tribal Programs Harness Cultural Strengths to Improve Conditions for Families and Youth
Legislative Citations
The Runaway Youth Act, Title III, Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (JJDP) Act of 1974
(P.L. 93–415) focused attention on the need to develop a nonpunitive system of social services for
vulnerable youth and authorized resources to support shelters for runaway and homeless youth. The
1977 Amendments to the JJDP Act (P.L. 95–115) extended services to “otherwise homeless youth”
and authorized support for coordinated networks to provide training and technical assistance to
runaway and homeless youth service providers (Basic Center Program). The 1980 JJDP Act
Amendments (P.L. 96–509) changed the title to the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act. The program
was reauthorized through 1992 by the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988 (P.L. 100–690) and was
subsequently reauthorized through FY 1996 by the 1992 JJDP Act Amendments (P.L. 102–586).
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The 1988 Amendments to Title III of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (P.L. 100–
690) included the Transitional Living Program, which was subsequently reauthorized through 1996
by the 1992 Amendments to the JJDP Act (P.L. 102–586).
In 2003, the Runaway and Homeless Youth (RHY) Act was reauthorized and is listed under Public
Law 108–96. Changes or additions to the RHY Act include the facility to recognize that there is “a
state or local law or regulation that requires a higher maximum to comply with licensure requirements
for child- and youth-serving facilities.” The term “maternity group homes” was also added and is
defined as “a community-based, adult-supervised, traditional living arrangement that provides
pregnant or parenting youth and their children with a supportive and supervised living arrangement in
which such pregnant or parenting youth are required to learn parenting skills, including child
development, family budgeting, health and nutrition, and other skills to promote their long-term
economic independence in order to ensure the well-being of their children.”
Agency Contact
For further information about services, contact any of the agencies listed below:
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Under the auspices of Operation Predator, ICE aggressively targets transborder importers,
distributors, and purveyors of child exploitation materials and U.S. and foreign child sex tourists to
prevent the sexual exploitation and abuse of children both in the United States and around the world.
The ICE Cyber Crimes Center Child Exploitation Section works closely with international law
enforcement agencies, the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, the U.S.
Postal Inspection Service, the FBI, the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Regional Task
Forces, and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC).
ICE (under legacy U.S. Customs) was one of the first federal law enforcement agencies to partner
with NCMEC and to become a point of contact for transborder tips and leads received. Today, ICE
works actively on tips regarding transborder child exploitation and international child sex tourism that
originate from NCMEC’s toll-free hotline and Web site. ICE further develops leads from NCMEC for
referral to appropriate domestic and foreign ICE field offices.
Services
Services provided by ICE include the following:
Investigation, support, and coordination for child exploitation and child tourism violations.
Functioning as the primary federal repository for images of identified child exploitation
victims and child exploitation videos and magazines, and supporting NCMEC in verifying
images of identified victims of child exploitation through the National Child Victim
Identification System (NCVIS).
Training for law enforcement officers who are involved in child exploitation investigations.
Availability of Services
Services available through ICE are directed to federal, state, and local law enforcement officials and
investigators involved in cases of child pornography and child sex tourism. Services can be accessed
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by contacting the nearest domestic ICE Office of Investigations (see appendix 4). Members of the
public can receive assistance by calling a domestic office or 800–DHS–2ICE (347–2423). For
overseas locations, please contact your nearest domestic office or the ICE Cyber Crimes Center.
A training course curriculum is available through the training center in Glynco, GA. All training
courses are coordinated through local ICE offices (listed in appendix 4).
Agency Contact
For further information about services, contact:
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Agency Description
Under Title XXXI of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, the U.S. Secret
Service is mandated to provide forensic and technical assistance to the National Center for Missing &
Exploited Children and to state and local law enforcement authorities investigating crimes against
children. In April 2003, under the PROTECT Act, Section 322, the U.S. Secret Service statutory
authority was amended. Title 18, United States Code 3056, was amended as follows: “(f) Under the
direction of the Secretary of Homeland Security, officers and agents of the Secret Service are
authorized, at the request of any state or local law enforcement agency, or at the request of the
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, to provide forensic and investigative assistance in
support of any investigation involving missing or exploited children.”
Services
Services provided by the U.S. Secret Service include access to the following:
Forensic Investigative Response and Support Team (FIRST), which is composed of forensic
experts who can respond to requests for assistance in cases involving missing and exploited
children.
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Polygraph Branch, which is staffed by highly trained examiners who use the latest technology
to detect deception through use of psychophysiological science. Polygraph examiners are
available to travel at a moment’s notice with instruments that are easily transported.
Visual Information Branch, which provides expertise in forensic photography, graphic arts,
video production, audio/image enhancement, voice identification, and computerized 3D
models.
Electronic Crimes Special Agent Program (ECSAP), which is composed of special agents
trained in computer forensics. Their expertise includes computer network forensics, online
undercover operations, e-mail tracing, and cellular tracking and mapping.
Operation Safe Kids, which provides parents with a document containing their child’s
fingerprints, biographical data, and black and white photograph. Upon request, this service is
provided free of charge at special events.
Availability of Services
Services are directed to local, state, and federal law enforcement investigators who deal with cases
involving missing children, runaways, parental abductions, international abductions, sexual tourism,
online enticement, and child pornography. Services are available at the discretion of the investigating
agency. For specific requests, please contact your local U.S. Secret Service office (see appendix 5 for
addresses and phone numbers).
Publications
Publications include the following brochures:
U.S. Secret Service, Forensic Services Division, National Center for Missing & Exploited
Children.
U.S. Secret Service, Forensic Investigative Response and Support Team (FIRST).
Agency Contact
Additional information about services may be obtained from any local Secret Service field office or
from:
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Over the years, OIG has forged a strong alliance with HUD personnel in recommending ways to
improve departmental operations and in prosecuting program abuses. OIG strives to make a difference
in HUD’s performance and accountability. OIG is committed to its statutory mission of detecting and
preventing fraud, waste, and abuse and promoting the effectiveness and efficiency of government
operations. While organizationally located within the Department, OIG operates independently with
separate budgetary authority. This independence allows for clear and objective reporting to the
Secretary and the Congress. Some OIG activities are to do the following:
Identify, locate, and/or solve missing children cases identified by the National Center for
Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) to be in HUD housing.
The Offices of Investigation are located in HUD Headquarters, Washington, DC, and in eight regions
and numerous field offices (www.hud.gov/offices/oig/locations/index.cfm).
HUD’s primary mission is to expand housing opportunities for American families seeking to better
their quality of life. HUD seeks to accomplish this through a wide variety of housing and community
development grant, subsidy, and loan programs. Within the Public and Assisted Housing Program
Administration, HUD provides housing assistance funds under various grant and subsidy programs to
public housing agencies and multifamily project owners. These intermediaries, in turn, provide
housing assistance to benefit primarily low-income households (www.hud.gov).
Under the Office of Public and Indian Housing (PIH) Programs, HUD provides grants and subsidies
to approximately 4,165 public housing agencies (PHA) nationwide. PHAs administer Public Housing
and/or Housing Choice Voucher programs. Programs administered by PHAs are designed to enable
low-income families, the elderly, and persons with disabilities to obtain and reside in housing that is
safe, decent, sanitary, and in good repair (www.hud.gov/offices/pih/index.cfm).
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Under the Office of Multifamily Housing Programs, HUD oversees multifamily housing
developments with HUD-held or HUD-insured mortgages. HUD owns some multifamily projects
acquired through defaulted mortgages. HUD subsidizes rents (Section 8) for low-income households,
designed to enable low-income families, the elderly, and persons with disabilities to obtain and reside
in housing that is safe, decent, sanitary, and in good repair (www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/hsgmulti.cfm).
The OIG Office of Investigation conducts criminal investigations in PIH programs, working with
HUD; PHAs; federal, state and local prosecutors; the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); U.S.
Marshalls Service (USMS); U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); U.S. Secret Service (USSS);
Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General (SSA OIG); Health and Human Services
Office of Inspector General (HHS OIG); and other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies
nationwide. OIG Special Agents work cases in various areas of low income HUD families and
children. OIG has access to HUD databases of public housing and Section 8 residents and multifamily
residents (www.hud.gov/offices/oig).
Services
Assisting NCMEC and all law enforcement agencies on missing children cases related to
HUD-funded rental assistance properties.
Assisting NCMEC and all law enforcement agencies on identifying and capturing wanted or
unregistered sex offenders residing in HUD-funded rental assistance properties.
Assisting the FBI, USMS, and other federal, state, and local agencies in capturing fugitive
felons residing in HUD-funded rental assistance properties.
Providing NCMEC awareness to HUD personnel, PHAs, HUD multifamily owners and
management companies, and HUD professional groups to help prevent and/or solve crimes
against children who live in HUD housing.
Joint investigations of National Sex Offender Registry matters related to HUD housing.
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OPERATION FIND HUDkids
In 2005, OIG identified the important need to work jointly with NCMEC and law enforcement to
identify and locate missing children that were living at the time of their disappearance in HUD’s
Rental Assistance Housing properties throughout the United States. More than 10 million people live
in HUD housing, of which an estimated 3.88 million are children. These children are identifiable in
HUD databases managed by PIH and the Office of Multifamily Housing. NCMEC’s missing children
cases are active and inactive criminal investigations conducted by federal, state, and local law
enforcement agencies. Many of these cases are “cold cases” that are unsolved. The HUD/NCMEC
computer-matching project is under a memorandum of understanding between NCMEC and OIG.
OIG receives the NCMEC data and conducts matching on HUD tenant systems to identify positive
hits on missing children living in HUD housing. Some cases are resolved by OIG and closed by
NCMEC. OIG Special Agents actively work with law enforcement and NCMEC to help solve missing
children cases related to HUD housing. The common NCMEC case types found in HUD housing are
runaways and family abductions.
OIG and HUD Headquarters have joined NCMEC’s prevention efforts by providing public awareness
to HUD management, PHAs, HUD multifamily owners and management companies, HUD
professional groups, and law enforcement. The OIG staff has joined the AMBER Wireless Alert
system and placed the NCMEC and AMBER Web site links on the OIG Web site and HUD Web
sites. CMEC will be able to alert all HUD offices and PHAs by fax and mail when there is a missing
child emergency in their area.
OIG investigative authority to assist NCMEC and law enforcement is supported by the IG Act of
1978, Senate Bill 2435, The Missing Child Cold Case Review Act of 2004, and OIG national
initiatives on rental assistance fraud and fugitive felons. Criminal investigations are conducted by OIG
Special Agents on tenants who are falsifying their true income, falsifying their dependents (adults and
children), and falsifying their identities. OIG identifies and arrests fugitives living in HUD housing
and receiving HUD benefits illegally. Many of the OIG fraud cases are worked jointly with the FBI,
USMS, USSS, USPIS, SSA OIG, and the HHS OIG, whereby the tenants defraud HUD, SSA, and
HHS for the low-income benefits. During these investigations, OIG Special Agents have contacts
with children living in HUD housing.
Availability of Services
Investigative and computer matching services are directed to NCMEC, HUD, and federal, state, and
local law enforcement officials and investigators involved in cases of missing children related to HUD
housing programs. Services can be requested by contacting the nearest OIG Office of Investigation
(refer to Web site www.hud.gov/offices/oig/locations/index.cfm).
Legislative Citations
Inspector General (IG) Act of 1978. (P.L. 95–452, § 1, Oct. 12, 1978, 92 Stat. 1101.) Refer to
copy of IG Act link on www.hud.gov/offices/oig.
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Missing Child Cold Case Review Act of 2004. Title XXXVII of the Crime Control Act of
1990 (42 U.S.C. 5779 et seq.) Senate Bill 2435. A bill to permit Inspectors General to
authorize staff to provide assistance to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.
U.S.C. Title 42–The Public Health And Welfare, Chapter 135–Residency And Service
Requirements In Federally Assisted Housing, Subchapter V–Safety And Security In Public
And Assisted Housing, Section 13663. Ineligibility of dangerous sex offenders for admission
to public housing, (a) In general notwithstanding any other provision of law, an owner of
federally assisted housing shall prohibit admission to such housing for any household that
includes any individual who is subject to a lifetime registration requirement under a state sex
offender registration program.
U.S.C. Title 42–The Public Health And Welfare, Chapter 8–Low-Income Housing,
Subchapter I–General Program Of Assisted Housing, Section 1437f. Low-income housing
assistance, (a) Authorization for assistance payments. For the purpose of aiding low-income
families in obtaining a decent place to live and of promoting economically mixed housing,
assistance payments may be made with respect to existing housing in accordance with the
provisions of this section.
Agency Contact
For further information about services, contact:
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Transportation and distribution of obscene material in interstate or foreign commerce via the
mail, common carrier, cable television lines, telephone lines, or satellite transmission.
CEOS attorneys and computer forensic specialists work closely with federal law enforcement
agencies and prosecutors, including U.S. Attorneys Offices, U.S. Bureau of Immigration and Customs
Enforcement, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the FBI, in investigations, trials, and appeals
related to the above statutes. In addition, CEOS attorneys provide advice on victim-witness issues and
develop and refine proposals for prosecution policies, legislation, governmental practices, and federal
agency regulations in the areas of child sexual exploitation, child support, international parental
kidnapping, and obscenity. CEOS actively conducts training for local, state, federal, and international
prosecutors, investigators, judges, and others who work in the field of child exploitation and
trafficking of women and children.
CEOS recently created a High-Tech Investigative Unit, with a staff of five computer forensic
specialists, to conduct complex online investigations involving commercial child pornographic Web
sites, online file sharing of child pornography, and the commercial distribution of obscenity. CEOS’s
High-Tech Unit computer forensic specialists work hand-in-hand with CEOS attorneys to investigate
some of the more complex and technologically challenging crimes on the Internet involving child
pornography and obscenity. The High-Tech Unit often lends its expertise to other federal law
enforcement agencies and federal prosecutors.
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CEOS plays a central role in coordinating nationwide investigations. Increasing use of the Internet
allows large numbers of pornographic images of children to be traded quickly and relatively easily
across state borders. As a consequence, today’s investigations often uncover hundreds and thousands
of targets in venues across the United States and abroad. These sweeping investigations present a
significant challenge in coordination among federal districts and between federal and state law
enforcement.
In conjunction with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, CEOS is taking a leading
role in marshaling federal and state resources to jointly target the difficult problem of child
prostitution in U.S. cities. The agencies are using a multidisciplinary model to eradicate the problem.
Services
In addition to prosecuting a full docket of CEOS cases, CEOS attorneys often pair with U.S.
Attorneys Offices to work on their litigation. Other services include the following:
Technical assistance and advice to federal and state prosecutors and agents, through a “duty
system.”
Training for prosecutors and investigators on topics such as computer child pornography, case
preparation, and child exploitation law.
Availability of Services
Upon request, CEOS provides litigation support, technical assistance, and training to federal
investigators and prosecutors who work on obscenity cases and child sexual exploitation cases,
including child pornography, trafficking, child prostitution, sexual tourism, and sexual abuse
occurring on federal lands.
Legislative Citations
18 U.S.C. § 1324, § Importation of aliens.
18 U.S.C. § 228 Child support.
18 U.S.C. § 1204 International parental child kidnapping crime act.
18 U.S.C. § 1460 et seq. Obscenity.
18 U.S.C. § 1589 et seq. Trafficking of persons.
18 U.S.C. § 2241 et seq. Sexual abuse.
18 U.S.C. § 2251 et seq. Sexual exploitation and other abuse of children.
18 U.S.C. § 2421 et seq. Transportation for illegal sexual activity.
18 U.S.C. § 3509 Child victims’ and witnesses’ rights.
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Agency Contact
For further information about services, contact:
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The FBI’s Crimes Against Children (CAC) Program is composed of the Crimes Against Children Unit
(CACU), the Innocent Images Unit (IIU), the National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime
(NCAVC), and the Office for Victim Assistance (OVA). CACU is located at FBI Headquarters in
Washington, DC. IIU is located in Beltsville, MD. NCAVC is located at the FBI Academy in
Quantico, VA. OVA is located at FBI Headquarters in Washington, DC. All of these units are staffed
by supervisory special agents and support professionals who provide program management and
fieldwide investigative oversight over all crimes under the FBI’s jurisdiction that involve the
victimization of children.
The mission of the FBI’s CAC Program is to develop a nationwide capacity to provide a rapid and
effective investigative response to reported federal crimes involving the victimization of children; reduce
the vulnerability of children to acts of sexual exploitation and abuse; reduce the negative impacts of
domestic/international parental rights disputes; and strengthen the capabilities of federal, state, and local
law enforcement through training programs and investigative assistance.
The FBI exercises jurisdiction and investigative responsibilities pursuant to federal statutes addressing
various crimes against children, including child abduction and sexual exploitation. The FBI’s response to
these types of cases is immediate, as there is no requirement for a 24-hour waiting period for involvement
and no crossing of state lines. Federal law defines children under the age of 18 as minors. Children less
than 12 years of age are often referred to as “children of tender years.”
FBI investigations involving crimes against children generally include violations of federal statutes relating
to the following:
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Sexual exploitation of children facilitated by an online computer.
The RICO (Racketeer-Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) statute, which also may apply in
some circumstances.
Multidisciplinary, multiagency resource teams that investigate and prosecute all crimes against
children that cross legal, geographical, and jurisdictional boundaries.
Services
Crimes Against Children Coordinators. Each of the FBI’s 56 field offices (see appendix 6 for a list
of FBI field offices) has at least two special agents designated as CAC coordinators. These
coordinators investigate crimes against children by using all available FBI investigative, forensic,
tactical, informational, and behavioral science resources and by coordinating their investigations with
appropriate federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and prosecutors. Recognizing that no
single agency can provide all the resources necessary to conduct effective CAC investigations, CAC
coordinators have established multiagency CAC resource teams consisting of representatives from
law enforcement agencies, prosecutors’ offices, and the courts; social service, mental health, and
medical facilities; schools; advocacy groups and other private organizations; and other groups as
needed. CAC resource teams incorporate local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement agencies;
private organizations; psychologists, sociologists, and medical professionals; probation and juvenile
authorities; and child advocacy groups. By enhancing interagency sharing of intelligence, CAC
resource teams are able to effectively investigate and prosecute incidents that cross legal,
geographical, and jurisdictional boundaries. The FBI provides resources and expertise—including
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evidence recovery, laboratory analysis, surveillance, technical and analytical support, behavioral
science support, and countless other services—to complex kidnapping investigations, interstate and
international CAC investigations, and other situations requiring rapid multijurisdictional lead
coverage.
Child Abduction Rapid Deployment Teams. Research has shown that the majority of children
abducted and killed are murdered within several hours of the actual abduction. In an effort to enhance
the FBI’s response to child abductions, the FBI’s CACU, in coordination with the Critical Incident
Response Group (CIRG)/Behavioral Analysis Unit-III (BAU III), created regional Child Abduction
Rapid Deployment (CARD) Teams. CARD Teams are a proactive endeavor designed to deploy
investigators with demonstrated, proven experience in CAC matters, particularly nonfamily child
abductions, as a rapid onsite response to provide investigative, technical, and resource assistance to
state and local law enforcement during the most critical time following a child abduction. CARD
Teams are geographically distributed throughout four regions of the United States (Northeast,
Southeast, Central, and West) consistent with the CID Program Management Plan. Each region has 2
teams of 6 supervisory special agents (SSA) and special agents (SA) for a total of 48 CARD Team
members. Each team has a designated team leader. CARD Teams also consist of individuals from
CACU and BAU III, which provides behaviorally based investigative and operational support to these
complex and time-sensitive crimes. Members have been identified as the most experienced FBI SSAs,
SAs, and intelligence analysts within the organization that work CAC matters. CARD Team
deployments result from notification of a child abduction or life-threatening case reported to the field
office, FBI Headquarters, or the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC). Upon
deployment, CARD Teams are placed under the supervision of the field office special agent in charge.
All CARD Team members must complete extensive training programs which consist of case studies,
available resources, and innovative technology that facilitate child abduction investigations.
Initiatives
Innocence Lost National Initiative (IINI). In June of 2003, CACU, together with the Department of
Justice–Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (DOJ–CEOS) and NCMEC, introduced the national
initiative entitled Innocence Lost. This initiative was designed to address the domestic trafficking of
children for the purposes of prostitution. Fourteen geographic areas were identified as High Intensity
Child Prostitution Areas: Atlanta; Los Angeles; Minneapolis; Dallas; Detroit; Tampa; Chicago; San
Francisco; San Diego; Miami; New York; Washington, DC; Las Vegas; and St. Louis. Thus far, task
forces/working groups have been established in Philadelphia-Harrisburg; Denver; Detroit; Miami; Los
Angeles; Las Vegas; Phoenix; Reno; Chicago; Dallas; Jacksonville; Boston; San Juan; San Francisco;
Washington, DC; Houston; Newark-Atlantic City; Honolulu; Oklahoma City; and Cleveland-Toledo.
A review of current and historical intelligence regarding such criminal enterprises reveals juveniles
are victims of trafficking for the purpose of prostitution in major metropolitan areas and smaller
communities. Typically, children are transported to lucrative venues including cities hosting major
sporting or public events. These criminal enterprise “pimps” are highly mobile and travel established
routes throughout the United States. In addition, the criminal enterprises frequently communicate with
each other in order to set pricing for services, identify new locations deemed profitable, and discuss
locations where law enforcement is active or lax. These criminal enterprises typically engage in
multiple criminal activities and have extensive supporting networks. The most effective way to
investigate and prosecute these cases is by establishing task forces or working groups actively focused
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on national investigations. While local agencies can prosecute and identify victims, a national
approach is required to disrupt and dismantle highly mobile enterprises. If not effectively disrupted
and dismantled, the subjects and victims simply relocate to another area.
FBI investigations involving child victimization are based on violations of federal statutes, including
the following:
International Parental Kidnapping Act (Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 1024).
Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution (UFAP) — Parental Kidnapping (Title 18, U.S. Code,
Section 1073).
Crimes committed in Indian country (Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 1153).
Child sexual abuse (Title 18, U.S. Code, Sections 2241, 2242, 2243, and 2244).
Sexual exploitation of children (Title 18, U.S. Code, Sections 2251, 2251A, 2252, and 2258).
Interstate transportation of obscene material (Title 18, U.S. Code, Sections 1462, 1465, 1466,
and 1470).
Interstate transportation of children for sexual activity (Title 18, U.S. Code, Sections 2421,
2422, 2423, and 2424).
Child Support Recovery Act (Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 228).
RICO statute (Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 1961), in some instances.
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Support FBI field offices in their efforts to identify and rescue witting and unwitting child
victims.
Support field offices in their efforts to investigate and prosecute sexual predators who use the
Internet and other online services to sexually exploit children for personal or financial gain.
Strengthen the capabilities of federal, state, local, and international law enforcement through
training programs and investigative assistance.
To proactively combat child sexual exploitation and child pornography facilitated by online
computers, Innocent Images undercover operations are being conducted in FBI field offices by task
forces that combine the resources of the FBI with other federal, state, and local law enforcement
agencies. To obtain evidence of criminal activity, FBI agents and task force officers go online
undercover using fictitious screen names and engage in real-time chat or e-mail conversations with
subjects.
FBI investigations of specific online locations can be initiated through citizen complaints, a complaint
by an Internet service provider, or a referral from law enforcement. Innocent Images investigations
typically involve Internet Web sites, chat rooms, and newsgroups; Internet relay chat (IRC) channels;
file servers; electronic bulletin board systems; and/or peer-to-peer file transfer programs.
Analysts are assigned full time in the IIU and throughout the FBI to conduct research and analysis to
identify individuals suspected of any of the following: possession, manufacture, and/or distribution of
child pornography; online enticement of children for sexual acts; child sexual tourism; and/or other
sexual exploitation of children crimes. These analysts use various Internet tools and administrative
subpoenas in their efforts to investigate the true identities of a potential subject’s e-mail address
and/or screen name. Once a suspect has been identified, the analysts compile an investigative packet
that includes the applicable intelligence, subpoena results, FBI database, and other search results;
evidence associated with the suspect; and other information, which is forwarded to the appropriate
FBI field office. Analysts are also assigned to NCMEC to specifically review and analyze information
The most common federal online child exploitation crimes are investigated in violation of the
§ 2252. Certain Activities Relating to Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of Minors.
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§ 2260(a)(b). Production of Sexually Explicit Depictions of a Minor for Importation into the United
States.
§ 2421. Transportation Generally.
§ 2422. Coercion and Enticement.
§ 2423(a). Transportation of Minors with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity.
§ 2423(b). Interstate or Foreign Travel with Intent to Engage in a Sexual Act with a Juvenile.
§ 2425. Use of Interstate Facilities to Transmit Information About a Minor.
§ 13032. Reporting of Child Pornography by Electronic Communication Service Providers.
The FBI has taken the necessary steps to ensure that IINI remains viable and productive through the
use of new technology and sophisticated investigative techniques, coordination of the national
investigative strategy, and a national liaison initiative with a significant number of commercial and
independent online service providers. IINI has been highly successful and has proved to be a logical,
efficient, and effective method for identifying and investigating individuals who are using the Internet
for the sole purpose of sexually exploiting children.
For additional information on IINI and Internet safety, please read the FBI brochure, A Parent's Guide
to Internet Safety. This brochure and other information about crimes against children are available on
the official FBI Web site www.fbi.gov/innocent.htm. Individual FBI field offices serve as primary
points of contact for persons requesting FBI assistance. For further information about FBI services or
to request assistance, please contact a Crimes Against Children Coordinator at your local FBI field
office.
Behavioral Analysis Unit I (BAU–I), which is responsible for terrorism and threat
assessments.
Behavioral Analysis Unit II (BAU–II), which is responsible for serial and other violent crimes
involving adult victims.
Behavioral Analysis Unit III (BAU–III), which is responsible for all crimes against children.
This unit is described below as it focuses specifically on children’s issues.
Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (VICAP), a nationwide data information center that
collects, collates, and analyzes crimes of violence and compares the information with other
unsolved crimes to identify and track violent serial offenders.
The Protection of Children From Sexual Predators Act of 1998 created the Child Abduction and
Serial Murder Investigative Resources Center (CASMIRC), which has been assimilated into NCAVC.
The Act specifies that CASMIRC is to “provide investigative support through the coordination and
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provision of Federal law enforcement resources, training, and application of other multidisciplinary
expertise to assist Federal, State, and local authorities in matters involving child abduction, mysterious
disappearances of children, child homicide, and serial murder across the country.” The Sexual
Predators Act also clarified the “24-hour rule” in kidnappings, stating that there is no need to wait 24
hours before initiating a federal investigation. The Act also provides for the FBI to investigate serial
killings if requested to do so by the head of the law enforcement agency with investigative or
prosecutorial jurisdiction.
Services
BAU III – Crimes Against Children was established to provide behaviorally based investigative and
operational support to complex and time-sensitive crimes and other matters of significance involving
crimes perpetrated against child victims, through the application of investigative case experience,
education, specialized training, and research. BAU III resources are focused on child abductions,
mysterious disappearances of children, child homicides, child sexual victimization, and other criminal
activities targeting child victims. BAU III’s assistance to law enforcement agencies is provided
through the process of “criminal investigative analysis,” which is a process of reviewing crimes from
both a behavioral and investigative perspective. It involves assessing the facts of a criminal act and
then interpreting offender behavior and interaction with the victim, as exhibited during the
commission of the crime, or as displayed in the crime scene. BAU III supervisory special agents and
professional support staff conduct detailed analyses of crimes for the purpose of providing one or
more of the following services:
Crime analysis.
Investigative suggestions.
Profiles of unknown offenders.
Threat analysis.
Critical incident analysis.
Interview strategies.
Major case management.
Search warrant assistance.
Prosecutive strategies.
Expert testimony.
Availability of Services
BAU III receives requests for services from federal, state, local, and international law enforcement
agencies. Responses to these requests for BAU III assistance are facilitated through a network of
NCAVC (National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime) field coordinators and Crimes Against
Children field coordinators. These coordinators may be contacted in FBI field offices in the United
States and its territories, or through FBI legal attache offices in various countries throughout the
world.
BAU III provides training for law enforcement agencies at several regional workshops across the
United States each year, and at the annual Crimes Against Children Conference in Dallas. Topic areas
include response to child abductions, online sexual exploitation of children, media issues in child
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abduction investigations, and ongoing research results on various subjects, including maternal filicide,
child abduction and homicide, and offender typologies. Training at these venues may be arranged
through the FBI’s field NCAVC coordinators; these individuals may also be able to assist in arranging
additional training on these and other topics on a case-by-case basis for groups of police agencies
within a geographic area.
Publications
In addition to publications in various law enforcement and academic journals, BAU III has, over the
past several years, released (for law enforcement use only) copies of the Child Abduction Response
Plan (CARP) in booklet form; a newly revised version of this document is scheduled to be issued in
late 2006. BAU III has also prepared two additional documents for law enforcement investigators
who are involved in “cold case” missing child matters and other unsolved cases relating to child
abductions. These are entitled Child Abduction Analysis Team Program: Guide for Law Enforcement
Investigators and Child Abduction Analysis Team (CAAT) Guidelines.
Research on various subjects of interest and use for law enforcement agencies relating to child
victimization is ongoing within BAU III. Articles published by unit members are available for
distribution upon request. Unit personnel may be contacted for further details. In operational matters,
at any stage of an investigation BAU III personnel may be contacted for assistance. The unit’s
personnel resources include a unit chief, eight supervisory special agents, two crime analysts, and a
major case specialist. BAU III assistance in active investigations may be rendered onsite, via
telephonic consultation, or through a hosted conference with investigators who may choose to travel
to the NCAVC facility in Quantico, VA.
Legislative Citations
BAU III is involved in case assistance in a variety of federal criminal matters, but provides services to
law enforcement investigators at all levels. Its legislative mandate is found in federal law, specifically
Public Law 105–314, the Protection of Children from Sexual Predators Act, which was passed by
Congress in October 1998. This law established an entity initially known as the Morgan P. Hardiman
Child Abduction and Serial Murder Investigative Resources Center (CASMIRC); BAU III continues
to operate under this mandate.
The FBI recognizes not only the necessity of providing for the legal rights of victims but also the
benefits that effective and timely victim assistance can bring to investigations. OVA applies three
major principles in performing its mission: (1) compliance with federal law; (2) assistance to victims
to enhance their ability to participate in the investigative process; and (3) use of innovative, flexible,
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and practical methods to accomplish its goals. The mission of OVA has been expanded to include a
greater focus on responding to victims of terrorism and cyber crime in an effective, coordinated way.
The FBI is responsible for assisting victims who have suffered direct or proximate physical,
emotional, psychological, or pecuniary harm as a result of the commission of a crime. The FBI’s
responsibility for assisting victims is continuous while a case is pending final disposition or until it is
turned over to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for adjudication.
OVA is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the Victim Assistance Program and for
ensuring that all victims of crimes investigated by the FBI are identified, offered assistance, and
notified as specified by statute. Each FBI field office has access to a victim specialist to ensure that
the needs of victims are being met. The FBI also has two full-time child interview specialists and a
contract with another child interview specialist who interview child victims in FBI cases, conduct
training, and provide case consultations.
In addition, OVA provides training and information that will equip FBI agents, evidence recovery
teams, and other FBI personnel to work effectively with victims. The unit is the point of contact for
the Department of Justice and outside agencies regarding the investigative policy issues and strategies
pertaining to assistance to victims of federal crimes.
The FBI Laboratory is the only full-service federal forensic science laboratory serving the law
enforcement community. The FBI is mandated by Title 28, CFR Section 0.85, to conduct scientific
examinations of evidence, free of charge, for any duly constituted law enforcement agency in the
United States. Assistance is provided through the following:
Document services.
Detailed information about these services, including instructions for collecting, preserving, and
shipping evidence, can be found in the Handbook of Forensic Science, which is available in CD–
ROM, print, and online formats. Copies of the CD–ROM Handbook (updated in 1999) can be ordered
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from the Government Printing Office’s online bookstore at www.bookstore.gpo.gov (specify stock
number 027–001–00080–7). The online Handbook is accessible through the FBI’s home page at
www.fbi.gov/hq/lab/handbook/intro.html.
The Technology-Assisted Search Program supports the law enforcement community by providing aid
in identifying, for recovery, forensic evidence that would not be identified through traditional search
techniques. The group uses geophysical methodology (that is, ground-penetrating radar) and other
remote-sensing equipment to search for clandestinely concealed evidence. These techniques are
considered as an investigative tool only after more expedient measures have been exhausted.
The criminal justice information services provided by the FBI include a fingerprint repository, the
National Crime Information Center (NCIC), and the National Sex Offender Registry.
Fingerprint repository. The FBI serves as the nation’s civil and criminal fingerprint
repository and responds to the information needs of federal, state, local, and international
members of the criminal justice community. The FBI receives approximately 40,000
fingerprint cards each day.
National Sex Offender Registry. The National Sex Offender Registry is an FBI database that
retains information received from federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in
coordination with NCIC. The database holds sex offender registration information, including
current addresses and dates of conviction.
Training
The FBI offers an extensive training program for the law enforcement community. Training in a broad
spectrum of topics is offered to bona fide law enforcement personnel in settings throughout the
United States, around the world, and at the FBI Academy. For domestic training requests, please
contact the training coordinator in your local FBI field office (see appendix 6). For international
training requests, please contact one of the FBI Legal Attaches located at American Embassies abroad
(see appendix 7).
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Availability of Services
Recipients of FBI services include law enforcement agencies and the U.S. Government (hence the
citizens of the United States). Services can be accessed by a request from a law enforcement agency,
either through NCAVC or through the local FBI field office or legal attaché (see appendixes 6 and 7,
respectively).
Agency Contact
To obtain further information about services or to request immediate FBI assistance, contact one of
the local FBI field offices listed in appendix 6 and in your local telephone directory, one of the FBI
legal attaches listed in appendix 7, or one of the following units:
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OVC provides federal funds to victim compensation and assistance programs across the nation,
conducts training sessions for diverse groups of professionals who work with victims, develops and
disseminates publications, supports projects that enhance victims’ rights and services, and educates
the public about victim issues.
Funding for OVC’s programs comes from the Crime Victims Fund, established by VOCA to support
victim services and other assistance. Fund dollars are derived from criminal fines, forfeited bail
bonds, penalties, and special assessments collected by federal courts, U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, and the
Federal Bureau of Prisons from offenders convicted of federal crimes, and the deposit of private gifts,
bequests, and donations.
Availability of Services
Victim Assistance
All states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and
the territories of American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands are awarded victim
assistance grants to support direct services to crime victims. Some 6,400 grants are made to domestic
violence shelters; rape crisis centers; child abuse programs; and victim service units in law
enforcement agencies, prosecutors’ offices, hospitals, and social service agencies. These programs
provide crisis intervention, counseling, emergency shelter, criminal justice advocacy, emergency
transportation, and related services.
Victim Compensation
All states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and
the territory of Guam have established crime victim compensation programs. These programs
reimburse victims for crime-related expenses such as medical costs, mental health counseling, funeral
and burial costs, and lost wages or support. Compensation is paid only when other financial resources,
such as private insurance and offender restitution, do not cover the loss.
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Direct Services
OVC supports direct services to people who have been victimized on tribal and federal lands, such as
military bases and national parks, and to U.S. citizens who have been victimized in foreign countries,
including U.S. nationals and federal government employees who are victims of terrorism abroad.
OVC supports emergency funds to provide victims of federal crimes with needed services, such as
crisis counseling, temporary shelter, and travel expenses to court, when these services are otherwise
unavailable.
In 2003, OVC awarded 12 grants totaling more than $9.5 million to various nongovernmental
organizations for the purpose of providing either trafficking victims with comprehensive or
specialized services or discretionary trafficking victim grantees with training and technical assistance
for program support and enhancement. In 2004, OVC awarded 10 grants totaling approximately $5.5
million. These grants were awarded to organizations solely for the purpose of comprehensive service
provision. In 2005, OVC made two awards totaling approximately $7.5 million for the purpose of
comprehensive service provision and training and technical assistance. Most recently, in early 2006,
OVC provided more than $8.5 million in new awards and supplemental awards to existing grantees
for the purposes of program continuation or expansion. OVC grants provide services to victims
primarily during the precertification period—the time between when trafficking victims are initially
identified by law enforcement and later officially certified by the federal government as such. Per
capita reimbursement subcontracts from the Department of Health and Human Services provide for
services after certification.
In coordination with the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, OVC provides
funding support to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) for the Victim
Reunification Travel Program. This program was developed to assist left-behind parents whose
children have been abducted by a spouse or biological parent and taken from the United States to a
foreign country (or whose children have been unlawfully retained as a result of a visit to a foreign
country). Program funds cover international travel expenses for parents to be reunited with their
children and to participate in the foreign country’s court proceedings, in addition to other support
services such as those provided by mental health professionals who facilitate the reunification process
and reduce a child’s trauma. During 2005, the program helped return 30 children to their left-behind
parents. (Contact NCMEC for further information.)
OVC also sponsors victim assistance programs in Indian country, including the establishment and
training of multidisciplinary teams that handle child sexual abuse cases and provide comprehensive
victim services.
Discretionary Funds
OVC discretionary funds are used to improve and enhance the quality and availability of victim
services. OVC publishes an annual solicitation and application kit that identifies demonstration and
training and technical assistance initiatives to be funded on a competitive basis. Through discretionary
grants, OVC has initiated many innovative projects with a national impact.
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At least half of all discretionary grant funds are dedicated to improving the response to federal crime
victims, including American Indian and Alaska Natives. These initiatives include training for federal
criminal justice system personnel on victims’ issues, written materials that help victims of federal
crimes understand their rights and available services, and support for direct victim assistance service
programs that establish and expand services for victims of federal crimes.
Each year the OVC TTAC Training Calendar offers a variety of workshops that focus on professional
development and capacity building and on sexual assault, identity theft, and other victim-related
issues. OVC TTAC also serves as a vehicle for further dissemination of training and technical
assistance developed under OVC’s discretionary grant programs.
In addition, OVC TTAC manages a network of expert consultants who specialize in crime victim-
related areas to support the training events of federal, state, local, and tribal agencies and
organizations; provides intensive onsite technical assistance to agencies offering services to crime
victims; administers OVC’s scholarships for crime victims and survivors; and provides state and
national conference support. OVC TTAC also organizes national conferences, regional workshops,
and meetings with diverse constituent groups, including state and tribal VOCA administrators and
discretionary grantees such as faith-based communities.
Publications
OVC develops and distributes a wide variety of publications to help educate and inform service
professionals, provide crime victims with improved access to services, and raise public awareness of
issues facing victims. Keeping pace with technology, many of these materials are now available online
at OVC’s Web site, www.ovc.gov. Subjects include promising practices in the profession, policy
updates, information about emerging crimes, and skill-building tools for professionals.
OVC maintains an information clearinghouse, the Office for Victims of Crime Resource Center
(OVCRC), to distribute its publications and provide research findings, statistics, and literature on
victim-related issues. OVCRC, which may be accessed through www.ncjrs.gov, is a component of the
National Criminal Justice Reference Service, a federally funded resource offering justice and
substance abuse information to support research, policy, and program development worldwide.
Of particular interest is the Attorney General Guidelines for Victim and Witness Assistance, which
provides guidance on how to treat crime victims and witnesses based on federal victims’ rights laws
and Department of Justice policies. This publication, which is available online at
www.usdoj.gov/olp/final.pdf, was recently revised in response to the passage of the Justice for All
Act of 2004. The guidelines set forth minimum training requirements for personnel who work
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primarily with victims and witnesses, and requirements for responsible officials to report compliance
with the Act annually.
In early 2004, OVC launched a Web forum, the OVC Message Board To Help Exchange Lessons and
Practices (HELP) in Victim Services, to link victim service providers and allied professionals with
colleagues throughout the nation who face similar challenges and experiences. An online bulletin
board, the OVC Web Forum, allows peer-to-peer dialog on innovative practices and services in victim
assistance. A guest host is featured each month, allowing participants to ask questions of and receive
insight from nationally recognized experts on the featured topic. Guest hosts have covered such topics
as helping child victims, assisting victims of identity theft, assisting victims of drunk and drugged
driving, and managing compassion fatigue.
In 2005, OVC launched an expanded forum, featuring new tools to enhance collaboration. New
features include the following:
OVC News and Announcements. Reports current OVC-focused initiatives and relevant
topics and events with a primary focus on best practices.
Search Engine. Scans and retrieves posts by topic of interest, keywords, or date.
Hot Topics. Features posts from unique users or forum topics that are relevant to current
events in victim assistance.
Post of the Month. Highlights a post that expresses information of value to the online
community and contributes to the body of knowledge concerning crime victims and best
practices.
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Agency Contact
For further information about services, contact:
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Agency Description
In 2000, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) created the Child
Protection Division (CPD) to oversee its efforts in protecting children from violence, abuse, neglect,
sexual exploitation, and other forms of victimization including Internet crimes against children.
OJJDP’s mandate to protect children is derived from two sources: the Missing Children’s Assistance
Act of 1984 and the Victim of Child Abuse Act of 1990. These Acts define the parameters of CPD’s
mission and provide the legislative authority for the work that CPD oversees. Other recent legislation
also affects CPD’s work, for example, the recently enacted Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety
Act of 2006.
CPD is responsible for administering all programs related to crimes against children; providing
leadership and funding in the areas of prevention, intervention, treatment, and enforcement; and
promoting the effective use of policies and procedures to address the problems of missing, neglected,
abused, and exploited children. CPD conducts research, demonstration, and service programs;
provides training and technical assistance; provides assistance and support to the Association of
Missing and Exploited Children’s Organizations (AMECO), which works to improve the capabilities
and quality of services provided to missing children and their families through its member network;
supports the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, the national resource center and
clearinghouse dedicated to missing and exploited children issues, and Team H.O.P.E. (Help Offering
Parents Empowerment), which provides mentoring and support to families whose children are
missing or victimized; and works closely with the National AMBER (America’s Missing: Broadcast
Emergency Response) Alert coordinator to support the development and improvement of the AMBER
Alert system nationwide.
Since 1984, training and technical assistance have been provided to local law enforcement agencies to
aid in their efforts to locate and recover missing children. Each year, CPD trains more than 4,500 law
enforcement officials in the investigation of missing children cases, at no cost to state or local
governments.
Services
CPD services include the following:
Demonstration programs.
Research projects.
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Evaluation studies.
Publications.
Funding for the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.
Support for nonprofit organizations that work with missing and exploited children through
AMECO.
Coordination of the Federal Agency Task Force for Missing and Exploited Children.
Availability of Services
Training and technical assistance are available to state and local units of government, nonprofit
organizations, and other agencies serving missing and exploited children. Research briefs and other
publications are available to the general public. Some materials are restricted to law enforcement
personnel.
Training Programs
The following training programs are sponsored by the Child Protection Division. These courses are
designed to assist law enforcement officers and other professionals who handle child abuse and
exploitation cases. A list of training programs, their description, and course registration forms can be
found on the following Web site: http://dept.fvtc.edu/ojjdp.
AMBER Alert Training and Technical Assistance Program. Training and technical assistance are
available to communities and jurisdictions interested in developing and/or enhancing their AMBER
Alert programs. A list of AMBER Alert coordinators can be found on the Office of Justice Programs
Web site at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/amberalert/home.html.
Child Abuse and Exploitation Investigative Techniques. This course is designed to enhance the
skills of experienced law enforcement officials and other professionals who investigate cases
involving child abuse, sexual exploitation of children, child pornography, and missing children.
Child Fatality Investigations. This course is designed to provide law enforcement officers, child
protective service workers, medical professionals, and other juvenile justice personnel with
comprehensive training on the detection, intervention, investigation, and prosecution of cases
involving fatal child abuse and neglect.
Child Sexual Exploitation Investigations. This course provides law enforcement officials and other
professionals with the knowledge and information they need to understand, recognize, investigate,
and resolve cases of child pornography and sexual exploitation.
Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Training. Training is available to help state and
local law enforcement with the complex and challenging investigations related to Internet crimes.
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Information about these training opportunities, which are available at little or no cost to law
enforcement agencies, is available at www.icactraining.org.
Protecting Children Online. This program enhances law enforcement’s ability to investigate
computer crimes against children.
Protecting Children Online for Prosecutors. This program provides prosecutors with the
information necessary to understand, recognize, and prosecute computer crimes against children.
Responding to Missing and Abducted Children. This course enhances the knowledge and skills of
law enforcement officials who investigate cases involving abducted, runaway, and other missing
youth.
School Resource Officer Leadership Program. This program demonstrates standards of excellence
and best practices in the enhanced role of the school resource officer as a leader in planning and
maintaining a safe school environment.
Team Investigative Process for Missing, Abused, and Exploited Children. This intensive team-
training program promotes the development of a community-based, interdisciplinary team process for
effectively investigating cases involving missing, abused, and exploited children.
Publications
The following documents are available from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
Prevention. Publications with an NCJ number are also available from the National Criminal Justice
Reference Service (800–851–3420).
Amber Alert: Best Practices Guide for Broadcasters and Other Media Outlets (2005), NCJ 208481.
America’s Children in Brief: Key National Indicators of Well-Being 2004, NCJ 205911.
America’s Missing and Exploited Children: Their Safety and Their Future (1986), NCJ 100581.
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Child Sexual Exploitation: Improving Investigations and Protecting Victims—A Blueprint for Action
(Education Development Center, Inc., 1995).
Children Abducted by Family Members: National Estimates and Characteristics—National Incidence
Studies of Missing, Abducted, Runaway, and Thrownaway Children (2002), NCJ 196466.
Cuando su hijo desaparecido: una guía de supervivencia para la familia (Spanish, 2004 update,
revised) NCJ 212870.
Dedicada a regresar a casa los ninos secuestrados (2005).
Departamento de Justicia de Estados Unidos Criterios recomendados para la Alerta AMBER (2005).
Early Identification of Risk Factors for Parental Abduction (2001), NCJ 185026.
Explanations for the Decline in Child Sexual Abuse Cases (2004), NCJ 199298.
Family Abductors: Descriptive Profiles and Preventive Interventions (2001), NCJ 182788.
How Families and Communities Influence Youth Victimization (2003), NCJ 201629.
How the Justice System Responds to Juvenile Victims: A Comprehensive Model (2005), NCJ 210951.
Investigating Child Fatalities (2005), NCJ 209764.
Investigation and Prosecution of Child Abuse, Second Edition (American Prosecutors Research Institute, 1993).
Issues in Resolving Cases of International Child Abduction by Parents (OJJDP Bulletin, 2001), NCJ
190105.
Juvenile Offenders and Victims: 2006 National Report (2006), NCJ 212906.
Keeping Children Safe: OJJDP’s Child Protection Division Bulletin (2001), NCJ 186158.
La Alerta Amber: Guia de las mejores practicas para radiodifusores y otros medios de comunicacion
(2005), NCJ 209519.
Law Enforcement Policies and Practices Regarding Missing Children and Homeless Youth (Research
Triangle Institute, 1993) NCJ 145644.
Missing and Abducted Children: A Law Enforcement Guide to Case Investigation and Program
Management (National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, 1994), NCJ 151268.
Missing and Exploited Children’s Training Program (OJJDP Fact Sheet, 2001).
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (OJJDP Fact Sheet, 2001).
National Estimates of Children Missing Involuntarily or for Benign Reasons (2005), NCJ 206180.
National Estimates of Missing Children: An Overview—National Incidence Studies of Missing,
Abducted, Runaway, and Thrownaway Children (2002), NCJ 196465.
National Estimates of Missing Children: Selected Trends, 1988–1999 (2004), NCJ 206179.
NISMART Questions and Answers: Fact Sheet (2002), NCJ 196760.
Nonfamily Abducted Children: National Estimates and Characteristics—National Incidence Studies
of Missing, Abducted, Runaway, and Thrownaway Children (2002), NCJ 196467.
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Obstacles to the Recovery and Return of Parentally Abducted Children (American Bar Association,
1993), NCJ 144535.
Obstacles to the Recovery and Return of Parentally Abducted Children: Research Summary
(American Bar Association, 1994), NCJ 143458.
Parental Kidnapping (OJJDP Fact Sheet, 1995).
Parental Kidnapping, Domestic Violence, and Child Abuse: Changing Legal Responses to Related
Violence (American Prosecutors Research Institute, 1995).
Portable Guides to Investigating Child Abuse: An Overview (1997), NCJ 165153.
Prostitution of Juveniles: Patterns From NIBRS (2004), NCJ 203946.
Protecting Children in Cyberspace: The ICAC Task Force Program (2002), NCJ 191213.
Protecting Our Children: Working Together to End Child Prostitution (2003), NCJ 204990.
Risk and Protective Factors of Child Delinquency (2003), NCJ 193409.
Runaway/Thrownaway Children: National Incidence Studies of Missing, Abducted, Runaway, and
Thrownaway Children (2002), NCJ 196469.
Second Comprehensive Study of Missing Children (2000), NCJ 179085.
Sharing Information: A Guide to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (1997).
Statutory Rape Known to Law Enforcement (2005), NCJ 208803.
The Criminal Justice System’s Response to Parental Abduction (2001), NCJ 186160.
U.S. Department of Justice Recommended AMBER Alert Criteria (2005).
Using Agency Records To Find Missing Children: A Guide for Law Enforcement (1995), NCJ
154633.
Victims of Violent Juvenile Crime (2004) NCJ 201628.
When Your Child Is Missing: A Family Survival Guide, Third Edition (2004), NCJ 204958.
(Available in English and Spanish)
Working Together to Stop the Prostitution of Children (2003), NCJ 203280.
Videos
Conducting Sensitive Child Abuse Investigations is a six-part video that was produced by the Child
Protection Division in conjunction with the National Child Welfare Resource Center, Edmund S.
Muskie Institute of Public Affairs, University of Southern Maine (1996).
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Agency Contact
For further information about services, contact:
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Agency Description
INTERPOL is the international criminal police organization that is composed of designated national
central bureaus (NCB) in each of the 184 member nations. The primary mission of INTERPOL is as
follows:
To ensure and promote the widest possible mutual assistance among all criminal police
authorities within the limits of the laws existing in the different countries and in the spirit of
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
To establish and develop all institutions likely to contribute effectively to the prevention and
suppression of ordinary law crimes.
Services
Each INTERPOL member country establishes, funds, and staffs a national central bureau, which
serves as the point of contact for the international law enforcement community. Every NCB operates
within the parameters of its own nation’s laws and policies and within the framework of the
INTERPOL constitution. In the United States, authority for the INTERPOL function rests with the
Attorney General. Authority for administering the U.S. National Central Bureau (USNCB) is shared
by the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice.
To receive foreign requests for criminal investigative assistance and direct them to the
appropriate U.S. federal, state, or local law enforcement or judicial authorities.
To receive domestic law enforcement requests and direct them to the appropriate NCB
abroad.
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USNCB’s coordination services provide federal, state, and local law enforcement authorities with the
most effective means available to secure the assistance of foreign police in matters ranging from a
criminal record check to the arrest and extradition of wanted persons.
USNCB investigative staff includes senior agents who are detailed from more than 16 federal and
state law enforcement agencies and a permanent analytical staff. Agents and analysts work in five
investigative divisions: alien/fugitive, terrorism and violent crime, drugs, economic crimes, and state
liaison. For example, the Terrorism and Violent Crime Division investigates sexual abuse against
minors, sexual assault against minors, child pornography, and sexual tourism. The Terrorism and
Violent Crime Division is responsible for cases involving missing persons, parental kidnapping, and
child abduction. Cases involving missing, kidnapped, or exploited minors are also assigned to the
Criminal Division.
Law enforcement can request issuance of a formal notice for worldwide distribution through the
INTERPOL Secretariat General Office. INTERPOL notices are categorized (color-coded) according
to the circumstances surrounding the request.
International Red Notices request a subject’s provisional arrest with a view toward
extradition. A Red Notice provides specific details concerning charges against a subject, along
with warrant information, and includes prior criminal history.
International Blue Notices are designed to collect information about persons (for example, to
trace and locate a subject whose extradition may be requested).
International Yellow Notices are circulated to provide information about persons who are
missing or abducted or who are unable to identify themselves, such as children.
Upon receipt of these notices, most member countries enter the information into their databases and
border lookout systems.
Availability of Services
Requests for Assistance
To reach the international law enforcement community, USNCB enters information on the child-
related crime, subject, victim, abducting parent, or missing child(ren) into the INTERPOL network.
Requests can be made immediately following the incident, but they must be made by a U.S. law
enforcement agency or judicial authority (see appendix 8 for a list of USNCB state liaison offices).
USNCB cannot accept requests for assistance from members of the public—even a victim parent.
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Virtually every request normally handled through law enforcement channels can be accommodated by
INTERPOL, provided communication is needed within the international law enforcement community.
Generally, correspondents on INTERPOL messages are the law enforcement authorities in the
respective member countries.
Responses to inquiries are sent to the originating law enforcement agency. Interested parties, such as a
victim parent, can ask for a status report directly from the originating law enforcement agency.
When a request is received, a USNCB analyst will search the internal case tracking system to
determine if there is any prior correspondence regarding the principals in the investigation. Additional
searches will be conducted on a wide range of internal and external computer databases to determine
if there are any records that will disclose prior investigative information or if there is any information
that will help to locate a missing or abducted child and/or the abducting parent.
A determination is then made as to what action should follow, and a message is usually sent to one
or more foreign NCBs through the INTERPOL communications network by the agent or analyst.
Because foreign customs, policies, and laws dictate what the receiving NCB can and will do, USNCB
has little or no control over how a message will be handled by a foreign NCB. Most requests from
U.S. police entail interviewing witnesses, victims, or subjects of child exploitation crimes who reside
in foreign countries or concern efforts to locate missing or abducted children and/or abductors.
In domestic child abduction cases, the initial request seeks to confirm if border-entry records can
establish the presence of the abductor or the child in a foreign country. Once entry has been
established, discreet verification is requested to confirm the exact location of the abductor in the hope
of preventing that person from fleeing to another location.
If an NCB confirms the location of an offender, abductor, or child, USNCB notifies the originating
police agency, which then coordinates subsequent investigative or retrieval efforts with the
prosecuting attorney or the victim parent via the Department of State, Office of Children’s Issues. If
USNCB messages fail to locate an offender, abductor, or child, USNCB helps the originating agency
complete the application process that will lead to the publication of INTERPOL international notices.
If a child is located abroad, INTERPOL may request protective custody of the child, even in countries
that are party to the Hague Convention treaty.
If a subject is charged with a child exploitation offense or parental kidnapping, a request for
provisional arrest with a view toward extradition must be sent first through the proper diplomatic
channels. Cases resulting in extradition are handled by the Department of Justice’s Office of
International Affairs, which uses the INTERPOL channel to transmit information pertaining to the
extradition process.
Foreign requests for investigative assistance are handled similarly to domestic cases. USNCB agents
or analysts query various law enforcement databases—including the National Crime Information
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Center (NCIC)—to determine whether prior investigative information exists in the United States. The
investigative request is then forwarded to the appropriate federal or state police authority and
oftentimes is coordinated with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. The results of
such investigative actions are then routed back to USNCB for relay to the requesting country. If
another NCB requests such action, USNCB can initiate a border-lookout notice using the Treasury
Enforcement Communications System database. Such a notice would request that INTERPOL be
notified if the subject and/or missing/abducted child(ren) were to attempt to enter the United States.
In foreign origin abduction cases, the names of the abductor and of the child cannot be entered into
the NCIC computer system unless a Red Notice has been issued for the abductor and a Yellow Notice
for the child.
Agency Contact
For further information about services, contact:
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Services
The Office of Children’s Issues provides services to assist in preventing and resolving international
parental child abduction cases.
International Abduction
CA/OCS/CI works closely with parents, attorneys, private organizations, and government agencies in
the United States and abroad to prevent and resolve international parental child abductions.
CA/OCS/CI processes requests from parents and courts for entry of minor U.S. citizen children’s
names into the Children’s Passport Issuance Alert Program, which flags passport applications
submitted for children who are the subject of custody disputes or who may be removed from the
United States without the knowledge or consent of both parents. Since the late 1970s, the Bureau of
Consular Affairs has taken action in thousands of cases of international parental child abduction. In
addition, the Office has answered thousands of inquiries concerning international child abduction,
enforcement of visitation rights, and abduction prevention techniques.
CA/OCS/CI is the U.S. Central Authority for the operation and implementation of the Hague
Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. The Convention discourages
abduction as a means of resolving a custody matter by requiring, with a few limited exceptions, that
the abducted child be returned to the country where he or she habitually resided prior to the abduction
for the settlement of custody issues. About 60 percent of applications for assistance under the Hague
Convention involve children abducted from the United States and taken to other countries, and 40
percent involve children who are abducted in other countries and brought to the United States. As of
August 2006, the United States has recognized 55 foreign countries as partner signatories that have
joined the Hague Convention. For updated information on partner Hague Convention countries and
other issues related to operation of the Hague Convention, go to www.travel.state.gov and click on the
Children & Family tab. Under an agreement reached by the Department of State, the Department of
Justice, and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), NCMEC has been
delegated responsibility for processing Hague partner requests for the return of or access to children
currently in the United States. CA/OCS/CI case officers focus on children who have been taken
abroad and children whose U.S.-resident parents fear are at risk of being removed from the United
States.
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Many countries have not yet accepted the Hague Convention. And in some instances of children taken
to countries that are Hague partners, the circumstances under which a child is taken—for example, if
a child is taken abroad with the left-behind parent’s knowledge and consent—may preclude the
Hague return procedure from applying. In the event of an abduction to a non-Hague country or
removal to a Hague partner country in an instance where the Hague Convention cannot be applied,
one option for the left-behind parent is to obtain legal assistance in the country where the child was
taken and to follow the local judicial process.
For international parental child abduction cases, CA/OCS/CI can do the following:
Provide information through programs and tools that can be used to prevent an international
parental child abduction, including the Children’s Passport Issuance Alert Program.
Provide information in situations where the Hague Convention applies and help parents file an
application with foreign authorities to obtain the return of or access to a child.
Contact U.S. Embassies and consulates abroad and request that a U.S. consular officer attempt
to locate, visit, and report on a child’s general welfare.
Provide the left-behind parent with information on the legal system, especially concerning
family law, of the country to which the child was abducted and furnish a list of attorneys
willing to accept American clients.
Help parents contact local officials in foreign countries or make contact with such officials
on the parent’s behalf.
Inform parents of domestic remedies, such as warrants, extradition procedures, and U.S.
passport revocations.
CA/OCS/CI cannot reabduct a child, help a parent in any way that violates the laws of another
country, or give refuge to a parent who is involved in a reabduction. CA/OCS/CI also cannot act as a
lawyer, represent parents in court, or pay legal expenses or court fees.
Availability of Services
In cases involving international abduction, services are directed to the parents or the attorneys of
children who have been abducted internationally or to those parents, attorneys, or courts that fear a
child may be abducted from the United States by another parent. CA/OCS/CI promotes the use of
civil legal mechanisms to resolve international parental abduction cases. CA/OCS/CI also works
closely with local and federal law enforcement agencies, the Department of Justice, INTERPOL, and
the Department of State Office of the Legal Adviser regarding pursuit of civil or criminal remedies to
international parental abduction cases.
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General information on international parental child abduction and custody issues is available on the
Department of State Web site at www.travel.state.gov under the Children & Family section. As the
U.S. Central Authority for the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child
Abduction, CA/OCS/CI processes applications from parents seeking access to and the return of
abducted children under the Convention. CA/OCS/CI coordinates U.S. government assistance in cases
involving children abducted abroad. CA/OCS/CI works closely with U.S. embassies and consulates
and with foreign Hague Convention Central Authorities to help resolve international parental child
abduction cases. The International Child Remedies Act (52 U.S.C. 11601; P.L. 100–300; 22 CFR Part
94) is the federal legislation implementing the Hague Abduction Convention in the United States. A
memorandum of understanding signed by the Departments of State and Justice and by the National
Center for Missing & Exploited Children gives NCMEC the authority to process Hague abduction
cases involving children taken from other countries to the United States.
Although the Convention does not require that requests for services be in the form of an application,
CA/OCS/CI has created a special form (DSP–105), Application for Assistance Under the Hague
Convention on Child Abduction, to help organize information (see appendix 9). This information is
also available on the Department of State’s Web site. It should be noted that CA/OCS/CI does not
adjudicate the validity of the application claim for the return of or access to a child; rather,
CA/OCS/CI provides information on the operation of the treaty and on the issues that the appropriate
judicial or administrative body that reviews the application will consider in making a determination.
CA/OCS/CI has developed a number of other useful information fliers and booklets to assist parents
and their attorneys. These are readily available at www.travel.state.gov under the Children & Family
section and include dozens of country-specific abduction fliers and an Islamic family law flier. The
fliers explain specific factors that may affect a parent’s ability to obtain the return of or access to a
child.
Agency Contact
For further information about services, contact:
Washington, DC 20520–2818
Fax: 202–736–9133
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Agency Description
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is the federal law enforcement arm of the U.S. Postal Service with
responsibility for investigating crimes involving the U.S. mail, including all child pornography and
child sexual exploitation offenses. U.S. Postal Inspectors, specially trained to conduct child
exploitation investigations, are assigned to each of its field divisions nationwide (see appendix 10 for
a list of child exploitation investigations specialists). As federal law enforcement agents, postal
inspectors carry firearms, serve warrants and subpoenas, and possess the power of arrest.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service has a long-standing reputation as a leader in the battle against
child sexual exploitation. Recognizing that child molesters and child pornographers often seek to
communicate with one another through what they perceive as the security and anonymity provided by
the U.S. mail, postal inspectors have been involved extensively in child sexual exploitation and
pornography investigations since 1977. Since the enactment of the Federal Child Protection Act of
1984, investigations conducted by postal inspectors have resulted in the arrest of more than 4,900
child molesters and pornographers.
Use of the mail to traffic child pornography or to otherwise sexually exploit children continues to be a
significant problem in our society, although more and more child molesters and pornographers are
becoming computer-literate and are turning to cyberspace to seek out potential victims, to
communicate with like-minded individuals, and to locate sources of child pornography. Over the past
several years, the number of unlawful computer transmissions and ads for trafficking of child
pornography videotapes and computer disks through the mail has increased. Approximately 90
percent of the child exploitation cases now investigated by postal inspectors involve computers and
the Internet in addition to postal violations.
Services
Postal inspectors have established a nationwide network of intelligence, incorporating a wide variety
of undercover programs designed to identify suspects and develop prosecutable cases. These
undercover operations recognize the clandestine nature of their targets and the inherent need of many
offenders to validate their behavior. The techniques used in these programs include placement of
advertisements in sexually oriented publications, written contacts and correspondence with the subject
of the investigation, development of confidential sources, and undercover contact via the Internet.
Postal inspectors are ready to assist in any related investigation involving child sexual exploitation.
Availability of Services
Investigative assistance by the Postal Inspection Service is available and should be sought under the
following circumstances:
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When a subject may be using the U.S. mail to exchange, send, receive, buy, loan, advertise,
solicit, or sell child pornography.
When a subject is believed to be using the U.S. mail to correspond with others concerning
child sexual exploitation, child pornography, or child erotica.
When a subject is believed to be using a computer network and the Internet to traffic child
pornography or to correspond with others concerning child sexual exploitation and the U.S.
mail is also being used.
When the activities of a subject warrant further investigation and there is a need for assistance
from a postal inspector who is trained in the investigation of child pornography or child
sexual exploitation cases.
When other local investigative leads have been exhausted and a postal inspector is needed to
use additional resources.
Services and investigative assistance provided by the Postal Inspection Service are available to any
local, state, or federal law enforcement agency. Contact the nearest office of the U.S. Postal
Inspection Service for further information.
Legislative Citations
For more than a century, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service has had specific responsibility for
investigating the mailing of obscene matter (Title 18 U.S. Code, Section 1461). Over the years child
pornography has been investigated as a matter of course along with obscenity matters. Increased
public concern resulted in the enactment of the Sexual Exploitation of Children Act of 1977 (Title 18
U.S. Code, Section 2251–2253). The Child Protection Act of 1984 (18 U.S.C., Section 2251–2255)
amended the 1977 Act by doing the following:
Changing the definition of a minor from a person under age 16 to one under age 18.
Amending the federal wiretap statute to include the Child Protection Act.
Raising the potential maximum fines from $10,000 to $100,000 for an individual and to
$250,000 for an organization.
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On November 7, 1986, Congress enacted the Child Sexual Abuse and Pornography Act (18 U.S.C.,
Section 2251–2256), which amended the two previous acts by doing the following:
Adding a provision for civil remedies of personal injuries suffered by a minor who is a victim.
Raising the minimum sentence for repeat offenders from imprisonment of not less than 2
years to imprisonment of not less than 5 years.
On November 18, 1988, Congress enacted the Child Protection and Obscenity Enforcement Act (18
U.S.C., Section 2251–2256), which did the following:
Made it unlawful to use a computer to transmit advertisements for or visual depictions of child
pornography.
Prohibited the buying, selling, or otherwise obtaining temporary custody or control of children
for the purpose of producing child pornography.
A new criminal statute was enacted with the passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. Title 18
U.S. Code Section 2422 made it a federal crime for anyone using the mail or interstate or foreign
commerce to persuade, induce, or entice any individual under the age of 18 years to engage in any
sexual act for which the person may be criminally prosecuted. On October 30, 1998, Congress
amended 18 U.S.C., Section 2252, making it a federal crime to possess any depiction (Zero Tolerance
Policy) of child pornography that was mailed or shipped in interstate or foreign commerce or that was
produced using materials that were mailed or shipped by any means, including by computer.
Agency Contact
For further information about the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, contact:
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ORGANIZATIONS
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Services
Visit the AMECO Web site (www.amecoinc.org) for a current list of AMECO members. A list of
member agencies is in appendix 11. Although the specific services provided by each nonprofit vary,
typical services include assistance with poster and flier development and dissemination, family
support and assistance, advocacy, aid to local law enforcement, public awareness and education,
coordination of volunteer activities, reunification assistance, and resource referral.
Availability of Services
AMECO provides training and technical assistance to its members. To qualify for membership in
AMECO, a nonprofit organization (NPO) must do the following:
1. Provide a current tax-exempt status from the IRS or an equivalent nonprofit status document
in other countries.
3. Submit a copy of a legal tax form. (In the United States, use Form 990; in Canada use
Revenue Canada Form T3010.) If an NPO does not meet the IRS criteria for submitting a
Form 990, the NPO must fill one out to be reviewed by AMECO prior to acceptance for
membership.
4. Have been in continuous operation as a nonprofit for 2 years prior to its admission to
AMECO.
5. Submit three letters of reference from community groups attesting to the contributions of
NPO. One reference MUST be from a law enforcement agency.
6. Provide services free of charge to victim families in the recovery process. Financial
contributions may be solicited for general support of NPO, but there can be no charge
associated with the recovery process, nor direct solicitation of donations as a contingency for
recovery services.
9. Provide a current list of paid/unpaid board of directors and most recent year of board minutes.
Assisting law enforcement and/or searching parents in the recovery of missing children.
Helping missing and exploited children and their families to gain access to services.
Preventing children from becoming missing and exploited through prevention and
education services for families, law enforcement, or other appropriate entity.
Training Programs
Each year, two annual training conferences are held to provide a platform for AMECO members to
discuss and share best practices with each other. The fall conference is sponsored by the National
Center for Missing & Exploited Children and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
Prevention and includes state clearinghouses.
A list of training programs provided by individual AMECO members can be found in the member
brochure on the AMECO Web site (www.amecoinc.org).
Resources
AMECO’s Web site contains information about the resources that are available from its member
agencies, including links to their Web sites, and information about state clearinghouses.
Agency Contact
For information about AMECO and its members, contact:
AMECO
P.O. Box 19668
Alexandria, VA 22320–0668
Phone: 703–838–8379; 877–263–2620
Fax: 703–549–3787
Web site: www.amecoinc.org
E-mail: [email protected]
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Services
NCMEC offers a variety of services to aid in the national and international search for a missing
child, including a toll-free hotline; photograph and poster distribution; age-enhancement, facial
reconstruction, and imaging-identification services; technical case analysis and assistance; recovery
assistance; online computer networks; training and coursework for investigators; and legal strategies.
AMBER Alert
NCMEC serves as an AMBER Alert clearinghouse and offers technical assistance and training, in
concert with the U.S. Department of Justice, to all AMBER Alert plans throughout the country.
NCMEC also disseminates AMBER Alert messages to secondary distributors so that subscribers or
employees can be on the lookout for an abducted child in their area.
Case Analysis
The mission of the Case Analysis Unit (CAU), a unit of the Case Analysis and Support Division
(CASD), NCMEC’s primary analysis resource, is to assist law enforcement agencies, NCMEC’s
Missing Child Division, and NCMEC’s International Division to help locate missing and abducted
children.
CAU staff receive and disseminate all lead and sighting information reported to the call center and
evaluates each lead for potential usefulness. CAU research analysts have access to extensive
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geographical information systems for both mapping programs and data to produce analytical maps to
further the investigation of these cases.
CAU maintains sex offender information about where to find up-to-date national sex offender
information and resources to provide rapid data about the geographical proximity of these subjects to
both new and unresolved cases of significance or relevance. CAU reviews and evaluates the multitude
of messages received at NCMEC each week from NCIC about new entries and modifications to the
missing persons and wanted persons files. NCMEC also receives messages about all unidentified
persons entered into NCIC by law enforcement agencies.
The Florida office of NCMEC, the central point for NCMEC child-protection education and
prevention, provides public awareness about the issue of missing and exploited children and NCMEC
safety-prevention initiatives. In NCMEC’s continuing efforts to provide individuals who are
educational decisionmakers guidelines for child-victimization-prevention programs, NCMEC
disseminates the publication titled Guidelines for Programs to Reduce Child Victimization. These
guidelines detail the recommendations of NCMEC’s Education Standards Task Force for
communities when choosing or developing programs to teach personal safety to children. In
NCMEC’s continuing efforts to offer technical assistance in the implementation of such programs in
communities throughout the country, NCMEC reviews, develops, and revises educational materials.
To learn more about NCMEC’s prevention programs and publications, call the Florida office of
NCMEC toll-free at 866–476–2338.
CyberTipline
The CyberTipline at www.cybertipline.com allows online computer users and electronic service
providers to report information on the possession, manufacture, and distribution of sexually exploitive
images of children; online enticement of children for sexual acts; child victims of prostitution; sexual
tourism involving child victims; molestation of children by unrelated individuals; misleading domain
names; and unsolicited obscene material sent to children. To date the CyberTipline has received more
than 380,000 leads. The CyberTiplne is managed by the Exploited Child Unit on behalf of the Federal
Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (formerly the U.S. Customs
Service), and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
CyberTipline analysts have extensive training in data collection using the Internet. Analysts use
Internet resources to gather information about Web sites, e-mail addresses, newsgroup postings,
suspect locations, and other important pieces of information relating to the case. Analysts conduct
historical searches using public-record databases, the Internet, and NCMEC’s CyberTipline. They
also maintain a comprehensive list of law enforcement officers and Internet service providers with
related technical expertise.
NCMEC’s Exploited Child Unit (ECU) serves as a resource center for parents, law enforcement
agencies, and members of the public on the sexual exploitation of children. ECU analysts process
CyberTipline reports, disseminate leads, and provide technical assistance to local, state, federal, and
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international law enforcement agencies investigating cases involving the sexual exploitation of
children.
The ECU’s Child Victim Identification Program (CVIP) serves as the U.S. clearinghouse for child
pornography cases and also serves as the main point of contact to international agencies for victim
identification. CVIP analysts, with the cooperation of federal law-enforcement partners, work to help
prosecutors convict perpetrators and seek stronger sentences. Most importantly, analysts work
diligently to identify the many children who have been victimized by child pornographers and the
individuals who sell, trade, and distribute these horrible images.
CVIP assists with child pornography cases across the country by using NCMEC’s Child Recognition
& Identification System (CRIS). Local and federal law-enforcement agencies are able to submit
copies of seized child pornography to federal law-enforcement agents assigned to NCMEC,
accompanied by a written request that the images be reviewed for identified children. Combining
CRIS and visual reviews by CVIP analysts, files containing identified child victims are listed in a
report that is provided to the submitting law enforcement agency.
The most critical function of CVIP is the effort to rescue unidentified children seen in sexually
abusive images. These children may still be suffering at the hands of their abusers and need to be
located. CVIP serves as the U.S. clearinghouse for all investigative clues that may lead to the location
of a child victim. During the evidence reviews, CVIP analysts closely examine the images and videos
and document all investigative clues that may lead to the victim’s location. Once a location has been
determined, CVIP enlists the assistance of the appropriate law enforcement agency to locate the child
victim(s).
NCMEC’s Family Advocacy Division provides specific interventions designed to enhance service
delivery to the children and parents served by NCMEC. The division works with families, law
enforcement officials, and family advocacy agencies to provide technical assistance, referrals, and
crisis intervention services. The division’s team also triages cases of extra-familial child exploitation
if requested by the family and/or law enforcement and provides appropriate referrals, support, and
case followup. The division serves as a resource for NCMEC’s Missing Children’s Division,
International Division, and Exploited Child Unit.
In addition to these services, the Family Advocacy Division houses Team H.O.P.E., which functions
as a support network for families with missing children. Team H.O.P.E. connects trained volunteers
who have experienced an abduction in their own families to other families with missing children who
need advice, assistance, and encouragement. (See additional discussion on page 97.)
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Team H.O.P.E.
310 Pensdale
Philadelphia, PA 19128
Phone: 866–305–HOPE (4673)
Fax: 215–483–1713
Web site: www.teamhope.org
The Global Missing Children’s Network is a network of Web sites from 16 countries that feed
information about and photographs of missing children into a central, multilingual database.
Participants in the network are given access to a Web site interface that allows them to customize their
country’s Web site to meet their needs. Participants are also able to create posters using the
information they enter into the missing children database. As a service to network members, NCMEC
conducts age-progression training sessions at its headquarters in Virginia.
Argentina: http://ar.missingkids.com
Australia: http://au.missingkids.com
Belgium: http://be.missingkids.com
Brazil: http://br.missingkids.com
Canada: http://ca.missingkids.com
Chile: http://ch.missingkids.com
Costa Rica: http://cr.missingkids.com
Ireland: http://ie.missingkids.com
Italy: http://it.missingkids.com
Malaysia: http://my.missingkids.com
Mexico: http://mx.missingkids.com
Netherlands: http://nl.missingkids.com
South Africa: http://za.missingkids.com
Spain: http://es.missingkids.com
United Kingdom: http://uk.missingkids.com
United States: www.missingkids.com
Currently, about 3,600 missing children are featured in the network. Of those, approximately 1,500
are from countries other than the United States. NCMEC is currently in discussions with Greece about
starting new Web sites.
Call Center
NCMEC’s Call Center receives toll-free calls from Canada, Europe, Mexico, and the United States on
its telephone hotline 800–THE–LOST (800–843–5678). Specially trained staff handle lead and
sighting information, provide assistance to families and professionals in their search for missing
children, attempt to assist sexually exploited children, assist hearing impaired (TDD 800–826–7653)
callers, facilitate communication with callers in 140 different languages, process requests from
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families with travel reunification needs, provide direct after-hours assistance to law enforcement, and
provide safety information to help prevent the abduction and sexual exploitation of children.
NCMEC provides technical assistance on the prevention and investigation of newborn and infant
abductions to nursing associations, hospital security associations, and law enforcement agencies.
NCMEC also conducts site assessments of health care facilities to analyze their policies and
procedures for preventing such incidents.
Domestically, NCMEC is linked via online services to the 50 state clearinghouses plus the District of
Columbia and Puerto Rico, the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Bureau of Immigration and Customs
Enforcement, the U.S. Secret Service Forensic Services Division, INTERPOL, and other federal
agencies. Internationally, NCMEC is linked to the Australia National Police, the Belgium
Gendarmerie, the SOS Crianca in Brazil, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Canada, the
Netherlands Politie, New Scotland Yard in the United Kingdom, and others. These computer links
allow images of and information about missing and exploited children to be published instantly.
International Division
NCMEC’s International Division, with a full-time, multilingual staff of 12, focuses on assisting left-
behind parents/guardians to navigate a complex and often opaque legal bureaucracy. In 2005,
NCMEC’s International Division managed an average of 1,200 cases of children abducted by a parent
or close family member. NCMEC is committed to advocating for an improved global response to
cases of international family abduction—to help bring these children home.
The first step to addressing the crisis of international abduction is prevention. NCMEC’s International
Division assists parents to take steps to protect their children before an abduction occurs, and assists
their family law attorneys to secure meaningful prevention orders from the courts. NCMEC is also
expanding educational outreach efforts across the United States and abroad to arm judges, attorneys,
law enforcement officers, and foreign service officers with the knowledge and tools to respond
effectively to cases of international abduction and to educate them about resources available to help
prevent and resolve these difficult cases.
The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction is a multilateral treaty,
which seeks to protect children from the harmful effects of abduction and retention across
international boundaries by providing a procedure to bring about their prompt return. NCMEC’s
International Division assists the U.S. Department of State by managing incoming Hague cases by
way of a Cooperative Agreement. Currently, 55 of the world’s 192 formally recognized independent
states are U.S.-ratified signatory members of this Hague Convention. The International Division has
increased outreach efforts to countries not party to the Hague convention. NCMEC is helping to
explore new mechanisms and set international standards for returning children to their families and
countries of habitual residence.
In 2005 NCMEC, in partnership with Key Bridge Foundation, established the first international
family abduction mediation network to help parents/guardians agree on mutually acceptable custody
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arrangements, without court intervention. The program is available to families faced with an
international parental abduction between the United States and any other country in the world. Travel
assistance for parents who are financially unable to recover their children once found in another
country is provided through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime.
NCMEC’s Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) trains and assists federal, state, and local judges,
prosecutors, law enforcement officers, and related professionals in investigative protocols, trial tactics
and strategies, legal research, civil liability issues, and the use of experts both as consultants and
witnesses in trial. OLC also advises the NCMEC Legislative Affairs Department, when requested on
public policy issues; evaluates proposed legislation; and identifies best practice models for the
investigation and prosecution of crimes against children. OLC also manages all of the regular business
legal needs of NCMEC.
LOCATER
The Lost Child Alert Technology Resource (LOCATER) provides law enforcement with the tools and
equipment needed to quickly disseminate images of and information about missing children. This
service is provided at no charge.
Staff members within the Missing Children’s Division work with the families of missing and
abducted children and investigating law enforcement agencies to provide technical assistance and all
available search resources. Staff members maintain up-to-date case information, establish regular
contact with families and investigative agencies, certify and prepare posters for dissemination, update
the posting of that information on NCMEC’s Web site, and coordinate with the Photo Distribution
Unit to distribute posters nationwide. The Cold Case Review Unit within the Missing Children’s
Division works with families, law enforcement officials, and medical examiners to resolve long-term
missing child cases.
NetSmartz® Workshop®
The NetSmartz Workshop is an interactive resource that teaches kids and teens how to stay safer on the
Internet. NetSmartz combines the newest technologies and the most current research to create high-impact
educational activities to help children prevent victimization and increase self-confidence whenever they go
online. NetSmartz uses 3-D animation, music, and interactive games paired with dynamic activity cards to
teach kids about online dangers and how to avoid them. NetSmartz interactive content is available at
www.NetSmartz.org at no cost to the public.
The NetSmartz Workshop, in partnership with Boys and Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) and the Internet
Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Program, has developed Internet safety presentations for use
with parents and communities, middle- and high-school students, and children in grades K–2 and 3–6.
NetSmartz has also partnered with 13 states, including Arizona; Colorado; Indiana; Louisiana; Maine;
Massachusetts; Missouri; New Hampshire; Ohio; South Carolina; Utah; Wyoming; Collier County, FL;
and Fairfax County, VA to implement Internet safety into schools.
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Poster Distribution
Through a network of more than 300 active private-sector partners, NCMEC has distributed millions
of photographs of missing children. NCMEC coordinates national media exposure of missing children
cases through its partnership with major television networks, leading nationwide publishers, and
major corporations. NCMEC also has “broadcast” fax capabilities that provides rapid dissemination
of vital information related to missing and abducted children to key locations throughout the country.
Project ALERT
America’s Law Enforcement Retiree Team (ALERT) is composed of retired, skilled law enforcement
officers who donate their time, when requested by law enforcement agencies, to assist as consultants
with long-term missing and/or exploited child cases. They assist by performing any task requested by
the agency’s lead investigator. All costs associated with travel and resource material are paid by
NCMEC.
Department of Communications
NCMEC’s Department of Communications acts as a liaison with all media outlets and corporate and
photo partners. The department coordinates efforts with local and national press to enhance awareness
of NCMEC, missing and exploited child cases, and resources for law enforcement families. It also
develops proactive media strategies and public service advertising campaigns.
Team Adam
Patterned after the National Transportation Safety Board’s system for sending specialists to the site of
serious transportation incidents, Team Adam sends trained, retired law enforcement officers to the site
of serious child abductions and child sexual exploitation. These rapid-response consultants, who work
in full cooperation with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, advise and assist local
investigators, provide access to NCMEC’s extensive resources, and assist the child’s family and work
with the media, as appropriate.
Team H.O.P.E.
Team H.O.P.E. (Help Offering Parents Empowerment) was created to provide parent-to-parent
mentoring services for parents of missing children, resources, counseling, and emotional support and
empowerment to families with missing children. Volunteers who had or still have a missing child are
trained to provide the following services:
Assisting families in crisis manage the search for a missing child and cope with the day-to-day
issues of living with a missing child.
Instilling courage, determination, and hope in parents and other family members.
Alleviating the isolation that so often results from fear and frustration.
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Volunteers can be reached through Team H.O.P.E. at 866–305–HOPE (4673).
Training
NCMEC provides training in all aspects of missing and exploited child cases. Courses for
investigators are conducted at regional sites: the Jimmy Ryce Law Enforcement Training Center in
Alexandria, VA; and the Polisseni Law Enforcement Training Center in Rochester, NY. Courses
range from regional investigative training sessions to policy development seminars. Training
presentations are delivered by a team of certified experts. NCMEC programs are recognized by state
and national accreditation agencies.
www.missingkids.com
To obtain the most up-to-date information on child safety, view pictures of missing children, and
learn more about available resources, visit NCMEC’s award-winning Web site
www.missingkids.com, which is powered and supported by Sun Microsystems and Computer
Associates.
Availability of Services
Services provided by NCMEC are directed to the following:
Local, state, and federal law enforcement investigators and agencies handling cases of missing
and exploited children.
Child care staff, child protection and social service personnel, criminal justice professionals,
and legal practitioners who work with missing and exploited children and their families.
Nonprofit organizations that seek access to a national network of resources and information.
Cases of missing children, including endangered runaways; victims of family and nonfamily
abduction; and those who have been lost, injured, or are otherwise missing.
Other cases handled by law enforcement agencies that involve the victimization and possible
exploitation of children.
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For parents or legal guardians of missing children, cases are taken in through the hotline when it has
been determined that: (1) the child was younger than 18 years of age at the time of disappearance, and
(2) a missing child report has been filed with the police. These cases include the following:
Voluntary missing (runaway) cases, which are taken by NCMEC when a child is believed to
have left on his or her own accord or when specific conditions indicate that the child is
endangered, such as the existence of a life-threatening medical condition, a serious mental
illness, a substance abuse problem, or a belief that the child is with a potentially dangerous
individual or in a potentially dangerous situation.
Family abduction cases, which are taken by NCMEC when it is determined that the person
reporting the case has court-awarded custody of the child and that the child’s whereabouts are
unknown, is believed to be with a family member.
International family abduction cases, which are taken by NCMEC when it is believed that the
child has been taken by a noncustodial family member out of or brought into the United States
and when the child’s whereabouts are unknown, or when a child has been brought into the
United States and the left-behind parent has made appropriate applications to invoke the
Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.
Other cases, in which the facts are insufficient to determine the cause of a child’s
disappearance. The criteria for intake of a “lost, injured, or otherwise missing” child are the
same as for a nonfamily abduction.
For law enforcement professionals, requests for resources, technical assistance, and access to
NCMEC’s database may be obtained by contacting NCMEC’s Call Center or case management
department. All services are free of charge.
For callers reporting a sighting of a missing child, the NCMEC Call Center will obtain complete
information concerning the individual involved and the circumstances surrounding the sighting. A
report will be distributed to law enforcement officials.
For callers reporting specific information concerning child pornography, the NCMEC Call Center also
serves as the National Child Pornography Tipline. Reports of alleged child sexual exploitation,
including child pornography and prostitution, are forwarded to the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S.
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for
verification and investigation.
For callers reporting instances of possible sexual exploitation, NCMEC acts as a referring agency and
may provide technical assistance, but it does not formally handle such cases. Requests for services in
cases of child sexual abuse, incest, and molestation are referred to appropriate law enforcement and
child protection agencies.
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These services have no waiting period or time limitation. All other calls and requests for information
may be made at any time to NCMEC’s Call Center. Free publications on child safety and protection
are available on request.
Resources
Technical Assistance
Safeguard Their Tomorrows is a 48-minute, nationally accredited educational program for health care
professionals designed to address the prevention and investigation of infant abductions. The program
was produced by Mead-Johnson Nutritionals in cooperation with the Association of Women’s Health,
Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses; the National Association of Neonatal Nurses; and NCMEC. A list of
state clearinghouses is in appendix 12.
Publications
NCMEC publishes a wealth of materials on safety and prevention strategies for families, schools,
community groups, and law enforcement. To learn more about NCMEC’s publications and programs,
visit the Web site at www.missingkids.com or call 800–THE–LOST (800–843–5678).
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CyberTipline brochure
ICAAN brochure
Is this your CHILD? If not—It may be the NEXT TIME (African American/English)
Is this your CHILD? If not—It may be the NEXT TIME (Haitian Creole)
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Keeping Your Child Safer in the World: Tips for Children, Teens, and Parents (Braille; formerly titled
Know the Rules...For Going To and From School More Safely (English)
Know the Rules...For Going To and From School More Safely (Spanish)
Know the Rules…For Traveling Outside of and To the United States (English)
Know the Rules…For Traveling Outside of and To the United States (Spanish)
Know the Rules...General Tips for Parental and Guardians to Help Keep Their Children (English)
Know the Rules...General Tips for Parental and Guardians to Help Keep Their Children Safer
(Spanish)
Know the Rules…Safety Tips for Children Displaced in Natural Disasters and Their Caregivers
(English)
Know the Rules…Safety Tips for Children Displaced in Natural Disasters and Their Caregivers
(Spanish)
Know the Rules...Safety Tips for Halloween (English)
Know the Rules...Safety Tips for Halloween (Spanish)
Know the Rules...Safety Tips for Holidays (English)
Know the Rules...Safety Tips for Holidays (Spanish)
Know the Rules...School Safety Tips (English)
Know the Rules...School Safety Tips (Spanish)
Know the Rules...Summer Safety Tips for Children (English)
Know the Rules...Summer Safety Tips for Children (Spanish)
Know the Rules...Summer Safety Tips for Parents and Guardians (English)
Know the Rules...Summer Safety Tips for Parents and Guardians (Spanish)
Know the Rules...When Your Child Is Flying Unaccompanied (English)
Know the Rules...When Your Child Is Flying Unaccompanied (Spanish)
Know the Rules...When Your Child Is Traveling Unaccompanied by Bus or Train (English)
Know the Rules...When Your Child Is Traveling Unaccompanied by Bus or Train (Spanish)
Knowing My Rules for Safety (Bookmarks in English and Spanish)
Knowing My Rules for Safety (English)
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Legislative Citations
42 U.S.C. §§ 5771 and 5780. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children was established
in 1984 as a private, nonprofit organization to serve as a clearinghouse of information on missing and
exploited children, to provide technical assistance to individuals and to law enforcement agencies, to
offer training programs to law enforcement and social service professionals, to distribute photographs
and descriptions of missing children, to coordinate child protection efforts with the private sector, to
network with nonprofit service providers and state clearinghouses on missing person cases, and to
provide information on effective laws to help ensure the protection of children. Working in conjunc
tion with the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and
the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, NCMEC serves as the National Child Pornography Tipline.
Agency Contact
For information about the services provided by NCMEC, contact:
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APPENDIXES
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Appendix 1
Department of Defense
Investigative Liaisons for Law Enforcement Agencies
Army
Headquarters
U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command
6010 Sixth Street
Fort Belvoir, VA 22060–5506
E-mail: [email protected]
COM: 703–806–0400
DSN: 656
Resident Agencies
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Connecticut Georgia
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Indiana Kentucky
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Area: Arizona, California (Central), Nevada, Area: Arizona, California (Southern), Colorado,
New Mexico, and Texas (Western) Nevada, Texas (West), Wyoming, and Utah
Naval Criminal Investigative Service Field Naval Criminal Investigative Service Field
Office—Marine Corps West Office—San Diego
Box 555238 3405 Welles Street, Suite 1
Camp Pendleton, CA 92055–5238 San Diego, CA 92136– 5050
Phone: 760–725–5158 Phone: 619–556– 1364
Fax: 760–725–5814 Fax: 619–556– 0999
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Area: Hawaii and Pacific Islands Area: Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon,
Washington, and Canada (Western)
Naval Criminal Investigative Service Field
Office—Hawaii Naval Criminal Investigative Service Field
449 South Avenue Office—Northwest
Pearl Harbor, HI 96860–4988 Land Title Professional Building
Phone: 808–474–1218 9657 Levin Road NW., Suite L20
Fax: 808–474–1210 Silverdale, WA 98383
Phone: 360–396–4660
Area: Delaware, Maryland, Virginia (Northern), Fax: 360–396–7009
Washington, D.C., and West Virginia
Area: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New
Naval Criminal Investigative Service Field Hampshire, New Jersey, New York,
Office—Washington Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Bermuda,
1014 N Street SE., Suite 102 and Canada (Eastern)
Washington, DC 20374–5008
Phone: 202–433–3858 Naval Criminal Investigative Service Field
Fax: 202–433–6045 Office—Northeast
Naval Station Newport
Area: Virginia (Tidewater) 344 Meyerkord Avenue, #3
Newport, RI 02841–1607
Naval Criminal Investigative Service Field Phone: 401–841–2241
Office—Norfolk Fax: 401–841–4056
1329 Bellinger Boulevard
Norfolk, VA 23511–2395 Area: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida (West),
Phone: 757–444–7327 Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky,
Fax: 757–444–3139 Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi,
Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio,
Area: North Carolina Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas
(Central, Eastern, and Northern), and Wisconsin
Naval Criminal Investigative Service Field
Office—Carolinas Naval Criminal Investigative Service Field
H–32 Julian C. Smith Drive Office—Central
Camp LeJeune, NC 28547–1603 341 Saufley Street
Phone: 910–451–8071 Pensacola, FL 32508–5133
Fax: 910–451–8206 Phone: 850–452–3835
Fax: 850–452–2194
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Air Force
Air Force Office of Special Investigations
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Appendix 2
Organizations Concerned With the Prevention
of Child Abuse and Neglect: State Contacts
Appendix 2 contains lists of organizations that can provide information and materials on the prevention of
child abuse and neglect:
State Child Abuse Reporting Numbers. Each state designates specific agencies to receive and
investigate reports of suspected child abuse and neglect. Typically, this responsibility is carried out
by child protective services (CPS) within a child welfare agency (for example, Department of
Social Services, Department of Human Resources, or Division of Child and Family Services). In
some states, police departments may also receive reports of child abuse or neglect. The Child
Welfare Gateway, formerly called the National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect
Information, has a resource listing of child abuse reporting numbers, state-by-state, online at
www.childwelfare.gov. It provides a toll-free number, when available, and/or a local reporting
number, and a link to the state’s agency that is responsible for receiving and responding to reports.
Toll-Free Crisis Hotline Numbers. These agencies and organizations can be contacted for help in
intervening in a number of crises, including child abuse, a missing or abducted child, rape or
incest, a runaway youth, victims of violent crime, and family violence. For more information or
assistance with reporting, please call Childhelp USA at 800–4–A–CHILD (800–422–4453) or
your local CPS agency.
In addition, The National Resource Center, FRIENDS, supports Community Based Child Abuse
Prevention grantees and periodically updates the resource directory. This directory can be found
on the FRIENDS National Resource Center Web site by using the following link:
www.friendsnrc.org/download/resource_directory.pdf
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State Child Abuse Reporting Numbers
In most cases, the toll-free numbers listed below are only accessible from within the state listed. If calling
from out-of-state, use the local (toll) number listed or call Childhelp® USA at 800–4–A–CHILD (800–
422–4453) for assistance.
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Oregon Vermont
800–854–3508, ext. 2402 800–649–5285
503–378–6704 802–863–7533 (after hours)
TDD: 503–378–5414 During business hours,
contact local agency or
Pennsylvania Childhelp USA for
800–932–0313 assistance.
717–783–8744
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Type of Crisis Who to Call Hotline Phone Hours Who They Help
Child abuse Childhelp® USA 800–4–A–CHILD 24 hours, 7 days Child abuse victims,
(800–422–4453) offenders, and parents
Family violence National Domestic 800–799–SAFE 24 hours, 7 days Children, parents, friends,
Violence Hotline (800–799–7233) and offenders
Missing and Child Find of America 800–I–AM–LOST 9 a.m.–5 p.m. EST, M–F; Parents reporting lost or
abducted children (800–425–5678) 24-hour answering machine abducted children
Child Find of America – 800–A–WAY–OUT 9 a.m.–5 p.m. EST, M–F; Parents (abduction and
Mediation (800–292–9688) 24-hour answering machine child custody problems)
Operation Lookout 800–LOOK–OUT 9 a.m.–6 p.m. PST, M–F Individuals with missing
National Center for (800–566–5688) child emergencies and/or
Missing Youth sighting information
Rape and incest Rape Abuse and Incest 800–656–HOPE, ext. 1 24 hours, 7 days Rape and incest victims
National Network (800–656–4673, ext. 1)
(RAINN)
Relief for caregivers National Respite Locator 800–677–1116 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. EST, M–F Parents and professionals
Service caring for children who
have a disability, terminal
illness, or are at risk of
child abuse or neglect
Youth in trouble and Boys Town 800–448–3000 24 hours, 7 days Troubled children, parents,
runaways and family members
Victims of violent National Center for 800–FYI–CALL 8:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. EST, All victims of crime
crime Victims of Crime (800–394–2255) M–F
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Appendix 3
Family and Youth Services Bureau
Regional Leadership Contacts
Region I – Boston Region IV – Atlanta
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Appendix 4
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Office of Investigations/Special Agents in Charge
SAC Atlanta SAC Denver SAC Miami
1691 Phoenix Boulevard 5445 DTC Parkway 8075 NW. 53rd Street
Suite 250 Suite 600 Miami, FL 33166
Atlanta, GA 30349 Englewood, CO 80111 Phone: 305–597–6000
Phone: 770–994–4200 Phone: 303–721–3000 Fax: 305–597–6227
Fax: 770–994–2262 Fax: 303–721–3003
SAC New Orleans
SAC Baltimore SAC Detroit 1250 Poydras Street
40 South Gay Street 477 Michigan Avenue Suite 2200
Third Floor Suite 1850 New Orleans, LA 70113
Baltimore, MD 21202 Detroit, MI 48226 Phone: 504–310–8800
Phone: 410–962–2620 Phone: 313–226–3166 Fax: 504–310–8900
Fax: 410–962–3469 Fax: 313–226–6282
SAC New York
SAC Boston SAC El Paso 601 West 26th Street
10 Causeway Street 4191 North Mesa Seventh Floor
Room 722 El Paso, TX 79902 New York, NY 10001
Boston, MA 02222–1054 Phone: 915–231–3200 Phone: 646–230–3200
Phone: 617–565–7400 Fax: 915–231–3227 Fax: 646–230–3255
Fax: 617–565–7422
SAC Honolulu SAC Newark
SAC Buffalo 595 Ala Moana Boulevard 620 Frelinghuysen Avenue
1780 Wehrle Drive Honolulu, HI 96850 Second Floor
Suite D Phone: 808–532–3746 Newark, NJ 07114
Williamsville, NY 14221 Fax: 808–532–4689 Phone: 973–776–5500
Phone: 716–565–2039 Fax: 973–776–5650
Fax: 716–565–9509 SAC Houston
4141 North Sam Houston SAC Philadelphia
SAC Chicago Parkway East #300 220 Chestnut Street
1 North Tower Lane Houston, TX 77032 Room 200
Suite 1600 Phone: 281–985–0500 Philadelphia, PA 19106
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181 Fax: 281–985–0505 Phone: 215–597–4305
Phone: 630–574–4600 Fax: 215–597–4200
Fax: 630–574–2889 SAC Los Angeles
501 West Ocean Boulevard SAC Phoenix
SAC Dallas Suite 7200 400 North Fifth Street
125 East John Carpenter Long Beach, CA 90802–4213 11th Floor
Freeway Phone: 562–624–3800 Phoenix, AZ 85004
Suite 800 Fax: 562–590–9604 Phone: 602–364–7830
Irving, TX 75062 Fax: 602–514–7790
Phone: 972–444–7300
Fax: 972–444–7461
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Appendix 5
U.S. Secret Service
Forensic Services Division
Field Offices
Alabama Sacramento
Florida
916–930–2130
Birmingham Jacksonville
205–731–1144 San Diego
904–296–0133
619–557–5640
Mobile Miami
334–441–5851 San Francisco
305–863–5000
415–744–9026
Montgomery Orlando
334–223–7601 San Jose
407–648–6333
408–535–5288
Alaska Tallahassee
Santa Ana
850–942–9523
Anchorage 714–246–8257
907–271–5148 Tampa
Ventura
813–228–2636
Arizona 805–339–9180
520–670–4730 Albany
Connecticut 229–430–8442
Arkansas
New Haven
Atlanta
Little Rock 203–865–2449
404–331–6111
501–324–6241
Delaware Savannah
California 912–652–4401
Wilmington
Fresno 302–573–6188
Hawaii
559–487–5204
District of Columbia Honolulu
Los Angeles 808–541–1912
213–894–4830 Washington, DC
202–406–8800
Idaho
Riverside
951–276–6781 Boise
208–334–1403
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Appendix 6
FBI Field Offices
(www.fbi.gov/contact/fo/fo.htm)
Alabama Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Bureau of Investigation Federal Office Building
1000 18th Street North 9797 Aero Drive
Birmingham, AL 35203 San Diego, CA 92123–1800
Phone: 205–326–6166 Phone: 858–565–1255
Alaska Colorado
Federal Bureau of Investigation Byron G. Rogers Federal Building
101 East Sixth Avenue 1961 Stout Street, Suite 1823
Anchorage, AK 99501–2524 Denver, CO 80294–1823
Phone: 907–276–4441 Phone: 303–629–7171
Arizona Connecticut
Federal Bureau of Investigation Federal Bureau of Investigation
201 East Indianola, Suite 400 600 State Street
Phoenix, AZ 85012–2080 New Haven, CT 06511–6505
Phone: 602–279–5511 Phone: 203–777–6311
Arkansas Delaware
Federal Bureau of Investigation All queries should be directed to the FBI Field
24 Shackleford West Boulevard Office in Baltimore, Maryland.
Little Rock, AR 72211–3755
Phone: 501–221–9100 Florida
Federal Bureau of Investigation
California 7820 Arlington Expressway, Suite 200
Federal Bureau of Investigation Jacksonville, FL 32211–7499
Federal Office Building Phone: 904–721–1211
11000 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1700
Los Angeles, CA 90024–3672 Federal Bureau of Investigation
Phone: 310–477–6565 16320 NW. Second Avenue
North Miami Beach, FL 33169–6508
Federal Bureau of Investigation Phone: 305–944–9101
4500 Orange Grove Avenue
Sacramento, CA 95841–4025 Federal Bureau of Investigation
Phone: 916–481–9110 5525 West Gray Street
Tampa, FL 33609
Phone: 813–253–1000
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Georgia Louisiana
Federal Bureau of Investigation Federal Bureau of Investigation
2635 Century Parkway NE., Suite 400 2901 Leon C. Simon Boulevard
Atlanta, GA 30345–3112 New Orleans, LA 70126
Phone: 404–679–9000 Phone: 504–816–3000
Hawaii Maine
Prince Jonah Kuhio Federal Building All queries should be directed to the FBI Field
300 Ala Moana Boulevard, Suite 4–230 Office in Boston, MA.
Honolulu, HI 96850–0053
Phone: 808–566–4300 Maryland
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Idaho 2600 Lord Baltimore Drive
All queries should be directed to the FBI Field Baltimore, MD 21244
Office in Salt Lake City, UT. Phone: 410–265–8080
Illinois Massachusetts
Federal Bureau of Investigation Federal Bureau of Investigation
2111 West Roosevelt Road One Center Plaza, Suite 600
Chicago, IL 60608–1128 Boston, MA 02108–1801
Phone: 312–421–6700 Phone: 617–742–5533
Iowa Mississippi
All queries should be directed to the FBI Field Federal Bureau of Investigation
Office in Omaha, NE. Federal Office Building
100 West Capitol Street, Room 1553
Kansas Jackson, MS 39269–1601
All queries should be directed to the FBI Field Phone: 601–948–5000
Office in Kansas City, MO.
Missouri
Kentucky Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Bureau of Investigation 1300 Summit
600 Martin Luther King Jr. Place, Room 500 Kansas City, MO 64105–1362
Louisville, KY 40202–2231 Phone: 816–512–8200
Phone: 502–583–3941
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Tennessee Virginia
Federal Bureau of Investigation Federal Bureau of Investigation
John J. Duncan Federal Office Building 150 Corporate Boulevard
710 Locust Street, Suite 600 Norfolk, VA 23502–4999
Knoxville, TN 37902–2537 Phone: 757–455–0100
Phone: 865–544–0751
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Bureau of Investigation 1970 East Parkham Road
225 North Humphreys Boulevard Richmond, VA 23228
Eaglecrest Building, Suite 3000 Phone: 804–261–1044
Memphis, TN 38120–2107
Phone: 901–747–4300 Washington
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Texas 1110 Third Avenue
Federal Bureau of Investigation Seattle, WA 98101–2904
J. Gordon Shanklin Building Phone: 206–622–0460
One Justice Way
Dallas, TX 75220–5220
Phone: 972–559–5000
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Appendix 7
FBI Legal Attachés
Almaty Berlin
Legal Attaché Office U.S. Embassy, Berlin
Department of State Clay Building
7030 Almaty Place Office of the Legal Attaché
Washington, DC 20189–7030 PSC 120, Box 3000
Phone: (011–7–3272) 50–48–02 APO AE 09265
Phone: (011–49–30) 238–5174
Amman
Office of the Legal Attaché Berlin (Frankfurt Suboffice)
U.S. Embassy, Amman Office of the Legal Attaché
APO AE 09892–0200 American Consulate, Frankfurt
Phone: (011–962–6) 590–6000 PSC 115
APO AE 09213
Ankara Phone: (011–49–69) 7535–0
Office of the Legal Attaché
American Embassy, Ankara Bern
PSC 93, Box 5000 American Embassy, Bern
APO AE 09823–5000 Department of State
Phone: (011–90–312) 455–5555 Washington, DC 20521–5110
Phone: (011–41–31) 357–7011
Athens
Legal Attaché Bogota
American Embassy U.S. Embassy, Bogota
PSC 108, Box 45 Unit 5124, Legat
APO AE 09842–0001 APO AA 34038
Phone: (011–30–210) 720–2490 Phone: (011–57–1) 315–0811
Bangkok Brasilia
Legal Attaché Office of the Legal Attaché
American Embassy, Box 67 American Embassy, Brasilia
APO AP 96546 Unit 3500
Phone: (011–66–2) 205–4000 APO AA 34030–3500
Phone: (011–55–61) 3312–7000
Beijing
Legal Attaché Bridgetown
American Embassy, Beijing Legal Attaché
PSC 461, Box 50 American Embassy
FPO AP 96521–0002 Bridgetown, Barbados
Phone: (011–8610) 6532–3831 FPO AA 34055
Phone: (1–246) 436–4950, ext. 2236
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Brussels Copenhagen
Legal Attaché Legal Attaché Office
LEG/EMB American Embassy
PSC 82, Box 102 PSC 73
APO AE 09710 APO AE 09716
Phone: (011–32–2) 508–2111, ext. 2551 Phone: (011–45) 3341–7100
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Madrid Ottawa
PSC 61, Box 0001 Office of the Legal Attaché
APO AE 09642 U.S. Embassy, Ottawa
Phone: (011–34–91) 587–2200 P.O. Box 5000
Ogdensburg, NY 13669–5000
Manila Phone: 613–688–5335
American Embassy
PSC 500, Box 10 Ottawa (Vancouver Suboffice)
FPO AP 96515–1001 Office of the Legal Attaché
Phone: (011–63–2) 523–1323 c/o U.S. Consulate General
P.O. Box 5002
Mexico City Point Roberts, WA 98281–5002
P.O. Box 9000 Phone: 604–685–4311
Brownsville, TX 78520
Phone: (011–52–5) 55080–2000 Panama City
ext. 2177, 3700, 3701, 3702, 3703 Legal Attaché
American Embassy, Panama
Mexico City (Guadalajara Suboffice) Unit 0945
Phone: (011–52–333–268–2100) APO AA 340021
Phone: (011–507) 207–7000
Mexico City (Hermosillo Suboffice)
Phone: (011–526) 62217–2375, ext. 270 Paris
Legal Attaché
Mexico City (Monterrey Suboffice) Paris Embassy (LEG)
Phone: (011–528) 18345–2120, ext. 4562 PSC AE 116, Box A–324
APO AE 09777–5000
Mexico City (Tijuana Suboffice) Phone: (011–33–1) 4312–2222
Phone: (011–526) 64622–7400, 7426, 7691
Prague
Moscow American Embassy, Prague
Legal Attaché Office 5630 Prague Place
American Embassy, Moscow Washington, DC 20521–5630
PSC 77, Legat Phone: (011–420–2) 5702–2000
APO AE 09721
Phone: (011–7–4095) 728–5000 Pretoria
Legal Attaché Office
Nairobi U.S. Department of State
Legal Attaché 9300 Pretoria Place
American Embassy, Nairobi Washington, DC 20189–9300
Unit 64113 Phone: (011–27–12) 431–4000
APO AE 09831–8900
Phone: (011–254–20) 363–6000 Riyadh
Legal Attaché
New Delhi American Embassy
Legal Attaché Unit 61307
U.S. Department of State APO AE 09803–1307
9000 New Delhi Place Phone: (011–966–1) 488–3800, ext. 4453
Washington, DC 20521–9000
Phone: (011–91–11) 2419–8000, 2688–9033
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Tallinn
Legal Attaché
American Embassy, Tallinn
PSC 78, Box T
APO AE 09723
Phone: (011–372–6) 68–8100
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Appendix 8
INTERPOL State Liaison Offices
A point of contact has been established in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, New York City,
Puerto Rico, U.S. American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands for state and local authorities to receive
assistance from INTERPOL on international investigations, including child abduction and kidnapping
cases. This point of contact is known as the INTERPOL State Liaison Office. State and local law
enforcement officials can forward requests for assistance through their State Liaison Office, which will
then forward the request to USNCB for transmission to the appropriate foreign police authorities.
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Appendix 9
Office of Children’s Issues
International Abduction and Custody Information
U.S. Department of State
Bureau of Consular Affairs
The following information can be obtained by going to the U.S. Department of State Web site at
www.travel.state.gov, Children & Family section, or by calling or faxing a request to the Abduction Unit
of the Office of Children’s Issues.
Prevention Tools
Abduction Prevention Letter
Abduction Prevention (Overview)
International Parental Child Abduction Booklet
Privacy Act Waiver
Children’s Passport Issuance Alert Program
a. Entry Into the Children’s Passport Issuance Alert Program
U.S. Passport Applications for Children Under Age 14
Legislation
International Child Abduction Remedies Act (ICARA)
Miscellaneous
Islamic Family Law Flier
Passport Information for Criminal Law Enforcement Officers
Privacy Act Waiver Form
Resources for Judges on International Parental Child Abduction
Country-Specific Information
Antigua and Barbuda
Australia
Austria
Bahamas
Bahrain
Barbados
British overseas territories
Canada
China
Cuba
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Egypt
Germany
Greece
Grenada
Haiti
Hong Kong SAR
Indonesia
Iran
Ireland
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kuwait
Macau
Malaysia
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Mexico
Morocco
Netherlands
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Philippines
Poland
Qatar
St. Lucia
Saudi Arabia
Singapore
South Korea
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Thailand
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
Uzbekistan
Yemen
Articles available on the Web site include:
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Contact:
CA/OCS/CI
U.S. Department of State
Washington, DC 20520
Fax: 202–736–9133
Your address:______________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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Appendix 10
U.S. Postal Inspection Service
Division Boundaries
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Bob Northrop
U.S. Postal Inspector
Division Headquarters
10500 Little Patuxent Parkway, Suite 200
Columbia, MD 21044–3509
Phone: 410–715–7710
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Appendix 11
AMECO Member Organizations
A Child is Missing Child Find Canada, Inc.
500 SE. 17th Street, Suite 101 212–2211 McPhillips
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316 Winnipeg, Manitoba R2V3M5 Canada
Phone: 888–US5–ACIM; 954–763–1288 Phone: 204–339–5584
Fax: 954–763–4569 Fax: 204–339–5587
Web site: www.achildismissing.org Web site: www.childfind.ca
E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected]
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Appendix 12
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
State Clearinghouse List
(Mailing addresses provided. If street address is different, it appears in italics.)
Alabama Contacts:
Alabama Bureau of Investigation/Missing Clearinghouse Manager:
Children David Hanson (907–269–5058)
P.O. Box 1511 E-mail: [email protected]
Montgomery, AL 36102–1511
Contacts: Connecticut
Clearinghouse Manager:
Connecticut State Police
Carol Robinson (501–682–3654)
Missing Persons
E-mail: [email protected]
P.O. Box 2794
Middletown, CT 06457–9294
Additional Contacts:
Street Address:
Mica Strother-Hicks (501–682–3644)
1111 Country Club Road
Rachel Ellis (501–682–3645)
Middletown, CT 06457–9294
Avis Lane (501–682–3659)
Phone: 860–685–8190; 800–367–5678 (in-state
E-mail: [email protected]
only)
Emergency messaging: 860–685–8190
California Fax: 860–685–8346
California Department of Justice ORI: CTCSP2900
Missing/Unidentified Persons Unit
P. O. Box 903387 Contacts:
Sacramento, CA 94203–3870 Clearinghouse Manager:
Sacramento, CA 95820
Phone: 916–227–3290; 800–222–3463 Staff:
ORI: CA0349454
Web site: http://ag.ca.gov/missing Delaware
Delaware State Police
Contacts: State Bureau of Identification
Clearinghouse Manager:
1407 North DuPont Highway
Gayle Hirahara (916–227–3242)
Dover, DE 19903
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 302–739–5883
Fax: 302–739–5888
Information/Technician:
ORI: DEDSP0001
Mark Larzelere (916–227–2754)
E-mail: [email protected]
Contacts:
Clearinghouse Manager:
Fax: 303–239–5788
ORI: COCBI0009 District of Columbia
D.C. Metropolitan Police Department
Contacts: Missing Persons/Youth Division
Clearinghouse Manager:
1700 Rhode Island Avenue NE.
Kristina Bomba (303–239–4251)
Washington, DC 20018
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 202–576–6768
Fax: 202–576–6561
Alternate staff: (303–239–4601)
ORI: DCMPD0000
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Contacts: Georgia
Clearinghouse Manager:
Georgia Bureau of Investigation
Sgt. Sabrina Simms (202–576–6768)
Intelligence Unit
E-mail: [email protected]
P.O. Box 370808
Decatur, GA 30037
Additional Contact:
Street Address:
Lt. Robert Tate
3121 Panthersville Road
Decatur, GA 30034
Florida Phone: 404–244–2554; 800–282–6564
Florida Department of Law Enforcement Fax: 404–270–8851
Missing Children Information Clearinghouse ORI: GAGBI0050
P.O. Box 1489
Tallahassee, FL 32302 Contacts:
Street Address: Clearinghouse Manager:
ORI: FL03701J1
Phone: 850–410–8585; 888–356–4774 Hawaii
(nationwide) Missing Child Center – Hawaii
Fax: 850–410–8599 Department of the Attorney General
Web site: www.fdle.state.fl.us Hale Auhau Building
425 Queen Street
Contacts: Honolulu, HI 96813
Clearinghouse Manager:
Phone: 808–586–1449
Donna Uzzell
Fax: 808–586–1424
E-mail: [email protected]
Hotline: 808–753–9797
Web site: www.missingchildcenterhawaii.com
Supervisor:
[email protected]
Lee Condon
E-mail: [email protected]
Contacts:
Clearinghouse Coordinator:
Gwen Johnson
Charlene Takeno (808–586–1449)
E-mail: [email protected]
E-mail: [email protected]
Patricia Rutherford
Michelle Nishizawa
E-mail: [email protected]
E-mail: [email protected]
Millie Marchiano
E-mail: [email protected]
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Idaho Indiana
Idaho Bureau of Criminal Identification Missing Indiana State Police
Persons Clearinghouse Indiana Missing Children Clearinghouse
P.O. Box 700 100 North Senate Avenue, Third Floor
Meridian, ID 83680 0700 Indianapolis, IN 46204–2259
Street Address: Phone: 317–232–8310; 800–831–8953
700 South Stratford Drive Fax: 317–233–3057
Meridian, ID 83642 ORI: INISP0012
Phone: 208–884–7154; 888–777–3922 Web site: www.state.in.us/isp
Fax: 208–884–7193
Web site: www.isp.state.id.us Contacts:
ORI: ID001115 Y Clearinghouse Manager:
Andre Clark
Contact Person:
E-mail: [email protected]
Terry Linza
E-mail: [email protected]
E-mail: [email protected]
Clearinghouse Coordinator:
Jeanie Dowd
Additional Contacts:
E-mail: [email protected]
Master Sgt. Jerry Taylor (217–785–0631)
E-mail: [email protected]
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Kansas Lousiana
Kansas Bureau of Investigation Louisiana Department of Social Services
Missing Persons Clearinghouse Clearinghouse for Missing & Exploited Children
1620 SW. Tyler Street Office of Community Services
Topeka, KS 66604 P. O. Box 3318
Phone: 785–296–8200 Baton Rouge, LA 70821
Fax: 785–296–6781 Street Address:
ORI: KSKBI0000 333 Laurel Street
Web site: www.ink.org/public/kbi Baton Rouge, LA 70802
www.ksamber.org/ Not a 24-hour operation: 7:30 a.m.–5 p.m.,
Central Time
Contacts: Phone: 225–342–8631
Clearinghouse Manager: Fax: 225–342–9087
Judy Ashbaugh (785–296–8244)
E-mail: [email protected] Contacts:
Clearinghouse Manager:
Clearinghouse Point of Contact: Walter Fahr (225–342–6832)
Judith Ashbaugh (785–296–8244) E-mail: [email protected]
E-mail: [email protected]
Maine
Kentucky Maine State Police
Kentucky Intelligence & Information Fusion Missing Children Clearinghouse
Center 1 Darcie Street, Suite 208
200 Mero Street, Suite T505 Houlton, ME 04730
Frankfort, KY 40601 Phone: 207–532–5404
Phone: 502–564–1020; 800–KIDS–SAF Fax: 207–532–5455
(543–7723) ORI: MEMSP0000
Fax: 502–564–5315; 502–654–5318
ORI: KYKSP0022 Contacts:
Web site: Clearinghouse Manager:
www.state.ky.US/agencies/KSP/mchild.htm Lt. Brian T. McDonough
E-mail: [email protected]
Contacts:
Clearinghouse Manager: Maryland
Deborah Campbell Maryland Center for Missing Children
E-mail: [email protected] Maryland State Police – Computer Crimes Unit
[email protected] 7155 Columbia Gateway Drive, Suite C
Columbia, MD 21046
Phone: 410–290–1620; 800–637–5437
Fax: 410–290–1831
ORI: MDMSP9500
Contacts:
Clearinghouse Manager:
Carla Proudfoot (410–290–1620, ext. 380)
E-mail: [email protected]
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Massachusetts Mississippi
Massachusetts State Police Mississippi Highway Patrol
Missing Persons Unit Criminal Information Center
470 Worchester Road 3891 Highway 486 West
Framingham, MA 01702 Pearl, MS 39208
Phone: 508–820–2129; 800–622–5999 (in-state Phone: 601–933–2638
only) Fax: 601–933–2677
Fax: 508–820–2128
ORI: MAMSP0070 Contacts:
Clearinghouse Manager:
Clearinghouse Manager:
E-mail: [email protected]
E-mail: sarah.o’[email protected]
Missouri
Missouri State Highway Patrol
Michigan Missing Persons Unit
Michigan State Police P. O. Box 568
Prevention Services Unit Jefferson City, MO 65102
714 South Harrison Road Street Address:
East Lansing, MI 48823 1510 East Elm Street,
Phone: 517–333–4006; 517–336–6100 (24 hour, Jefferson City, MO 65101
emergency) Phone: 573–526–6178; 800–877–3452
Fax: 517–333–4115 Fax: 573–526–5577
ORI: MI3300114 ORI: MOMHP0014
ORI: MOMHP0007
Contacts: E-mail: [email protected]
Clearinghouse Manager:
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Lincoln, NE 68508
E-mail: [email protected]
River Road
Clearinghouse Manager:
E-mail: [email protected]
DSG Joe Glennan (ext. 2857)
E-mail: [email protected]
DSG Dave Jones (ext. 2804)
E-mail: [email protected]
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E-mail: [email protected]
Special Agent Michael Lynk (701–328–8171)
E-mail: [email protected]
Staff:
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Oklahoma Contacts:
Missing Person Clearinghouse Corp. Anthony Manetta (717–783–0961)
Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation E-mail: [email protected]
Criminal Intelligence Office
6600 North Harvey Rhode Island
Oklahoma City, OK 73116 Rhode Island State Police
Phone: 405–879–2645; 800–522–8017 Missing & Exploited Children Unit
Fax: 405–879–2967 311 Danielson Pike
ORI: OKOBI0003 North Scituate, RI 02857
Phone: 401–444–1125
Contacts: Fax: 401–444–1133
Clearinghouse Manager:
ORI: RIRSP0001
Inspector Kim Carter (405–879–2623)
Contacts:
Sightings, Leads:
Clearinghouse Manager:
E-mail: [email protected]
E-mail: [email protected]
Staff:
South Carolina
Terri Turner
South Carolina Law Enforcement Division
Missing Person Information Center
Oregon P. O. Box 21398
Oregon State Police Columbia, SC 29221–1398
Missing Children Clearinghouse Street Address:
255 Capital Street, NE., Fourth Floor 4400 Broad River Road
Salem, OR 97310 Phone: 803–737–9000; 800–322–4453
Phone: 503–378–3720; 800–282–7155 (in-state Fax: 803–896–7595
only) ORI: SCLED00M0
Fax: 503–363–5475
Pager: 503–361–1935 Contacts:
ORI: OROSP0003 Clearinghouse Manager:
E-mail: [email protected]
Contacts:
Clearinghouse Manager:
E-mail: [email protected]
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Contacts:
Clearinghouse Manager:
Staff:
E-mail: [email protected]
Deanna Kinsfather (512–424–5074)
Tennessee Utah
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Utah Department of Public Safety
Criminal Intelligence Unit Bureau of Criminal Identification
901 R.S. Gass Boulevard 3888 West 5400 South
Nashville, TN 37206 P.O. Box 148280
Phone: 615–744–4000 Salt Lake City, UT 84114–8280
Fax: 615–744–4655 Phone: 801–965–4686; 888–770–6477
ORI: TNTBI0000 Fax: 801–965–4749
Contacts: Contacts:
Clearinghouse Manager:
Clearinghouse Manager:
E-mail: [email protected]
E-mail: [email protected]
Fax: 512–424–2885
ORI: TXDPS4300
Web site: www.txdps.state.tx.us/mpch
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Virginia Contacts:
Virginia State Police Department Clearinghouse Manager:
Missing Children's Clearinghouse Kim Shamblen
P. O. Box 27472 E-mail: [email protected]
Richmond, VA 23261
Street Address: Staff:
7700 Midlothian Turnpike Brett Childress
Richmond, VA 23235 E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 804–674–2026; 800–822–4453
Fax: 804–674–2918 Nancy Cerhhiaro
ORI: VAVSP0000 E-mail: [email protected]
Contacts: Wisconsin
Clearinghouse Manager: Wisconsin Missing and Exploited Children
Lt. Patrick D. Fagan (804–674–2023) Wisconsin Amber Alert Coordinator
E-mail: [email protected] P. O. Box 7857
Madison, WI 53701–2718
Staff: Street Address:
Sgt. Ray Phillips (804–674–2148) 17 West Main Sreet.
E-mail: [email protected] Madison, WI 53702
Phone: 608–266–1671; 800–THE–HOPE (in-
Washington state only)
Washington State Patrol Fax: 608–267–2777
Missing Children Clearinghouse ORI: WIDCI0003
P. O. Box 2347
Olympia, WA 98507–2347 Contacts:
Phone: 800–543–5678 Clearinghouse Manager:
Fax: 360–704–2971 Susan WhiteHorse (608–225–1926)
ORI: WAWSP0090 E-mail: [email protected]
Contacts: Wyoming
Clearinghouse Coordinator: Wyoming Office of the Attorney General
Sue Miller Division of Criminal Investigation
E-mail: [email protected] 316 West 22nd
Cheyenne, WY 82002
Staff: Phone: 307–777–7537
Mei-Ping Murray Control Terminal: 307–777–7545
Fax: 307–777–8900
West Virginia ORI: WY0110400
West Virginia State Police
Missing Children Clearinghouse Contacts:
725 Jefferson Road Clearinghouse Manager:
South Charleston, WV 25309–1698 Tim Olsen
Phone: 304–558–1467; 800–352–0927 E-mail: [email protected]
Fax: 304–558–1470
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Canada Contacts:
National Missing Children’s Services Clearinghouse Manager:
1200 Vanier Parkway Insp. Ernesto Fernandez (787–475–4387)
Ottawa, Ontario, CN K1A OR2
ORI: ON11074 Analyst’s Office: (787–724–4168)
Phone: 613–993–1525; 877–318–3576 Staff: Kay Vazquez/Agnes Aponte
Fax: 613–993–5430
Web site: www.ourmissingchildren.gc.ca Clearinghouse AMBER Coordinator:
Agent Luis Rivera Diaz (787–729–2646)
Contacts: [email protected]
Clearinghouse Manager:
Staff Sgt. Roger Martin E-mail Addresses: [email protected]
E-mail: [email protected] [email protected]
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*NCJ~216857*
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention dOJ/OJJdP
PermiT NO. G–91
Washington, DC 20531
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use $300