The UCCJA was designed to prevent states from giving refuge to child-snatchers by requiring them to decline jurisdiction of custody actions if another State was a more appropriate forum. The PKPA was designed to achieve the same goal by requiring states to acknowledge existing custody decrees if those decrees fulfill certain requirements. The PKPA also authorizes the Federal parent Locator Service to assist in locating abducted children and their abductors and provides that the Fugitive Felony Act applies to State felony parental kidnapping cases where the abductor has left the State or the country to avoid prosecution. However, non-marital children lacking custody orders are not protected. Two possible solutions would be legislation providing that the mother automatically has custody of a non-marital child at birth until a court order proves otherwise or amending the PKPA to permit sworn statements by the mother. Research should determine whether one of these options or another option would most effectively protect non-marital children. Footnotes