Office of Justice Programs

A Message From Assistant Attorney General
Deborah J. Daniels

More than a quarter of a million children are abducted each year in this country, and while the actual number of child abductions is on the decline, even one is too many.

Most often, child abductions are committed by family members who are seeking to interfere with a parent's custodial rights. A significant number are committed by nonfamily members, often in connection with another crime. Although the vast majority (at least 98 percent) of children are returned safely from these abductions, many are not. In the most dangerous type of abduction—kidnapping by a stranger—the first hours after an abduction are critical. This Guide provides parents with important tools to assist them in the safe return of their children.

I am pleased that the publication of this updated edition of When Your Child Is Missing: A Family Survival Guide coincides with the White House Conference on Missing, Exploited, and Runaway Children. The U.S. Department of Justice, through its Office of Justice Programs, is honored to support President Bush in his efforts to ensure the safety of the nation's children.