Hi Brigette, I thought you might want to see these too..sorry if they've been posted before. I've not checked the links in a few weeks..so don't know if their pages have been updated.
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/assist/nvaa2000/academy/chapter11.htm
In 1998, there were an estimated 749,100 missing juveniles reported to the police and entered into the FBI's National Crime Information Center (NCIC 1999, 1). The circumstances under which juveniles were missing follows:
97,200 juveniles were missing in the company of another person under circumstances indicating that his or her safety was in danger (NCMEC 1999).
28,745 juveniles were missing under circumstances indicating that the disappearance was not voluntary (Ibid.).
http://www.childalert.org/statistics.htm
and
Child...anyone under the age of 18 non-family abductions
http://www.missingkids.com/download/nc65.pdf
this book examines and reports on case histories of serial child molesters and abductors
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/020508/law014_1.html
Blue Oval Campaign
According to NCMEC reports, the state of Texas ranked second last year with more than 60,000 children reported missing -- behind only California. In Houston, 5,641 children were reported missing in 2001
http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2002/04/25/039428.html?NEWS
Statistics indicate that more than one third of parents do not know their child's exact height, weight and eye color -- information critical to expediting the return of a missing child. Each child's physical description information will be recorded in the ID kit along with a photograph and set of fingerprints.
According to FBI data, missing children reports in 2001 dropped to 725,000 -- about 2,000 per day -- the lowest annual total in a decade. More than 13,000 children were reported missing in the state of Michigan -- nearly 1,000 kids from the Detroit area.
Thanks for the info... I did not have two of the connections... it is impertive that every parent have a good written description of their child (children).. our grandchildren have a height tape in the laundry room, height and weight by dates.. I still can not believe that the Smarts did not have the alarm system on.. especially with the break-ins... another safety point, all bedroom doors should be open at night, someone could hear movement... of course, perhaps Elizabeth is a light sleeper.. which may account for the event... Given the crazy climate.. terrorist, home invasions etc... our relaxed, open door, welcome and trust everyone life style may have to change.. at our borders, in our criminal policies and in our own homes.. what a pity...