2006-2

Partnership With The National Center For Missing And Exploited Children

Sponsored by: Assemblyman Felix W. Ortiz (NY), NHCSL President

Adopted by the Caucus on November 18, 2006

WHEREAS, There are nearly 800,000 children reported missing each year;1

WHEREAS, On average 2,100 children are reported missing to law-enforcement agencies each day;2

WHEREAS, 58,200 children were victims of non-family abductions in a one-year period of time;3

WHEREAS, The percentage of minority children among missing children appear slightly higher than their percentage in the U.S. population;4

WHEREAS, Researchers have found that in 40% of these cases, there are “unknowing witnesses” with information that may be crucial to the resolution of the investigation;7

WHEREAS, We are seeing an increase in the number of reported cases of child sexual exploitation;8

WHEREAS, This country’s future is dependent upon the growth and development of children;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators agree that the problems of missing and exploited children are grave concerns of our organizations and the nation; and the consequences of these actions against our children threaten the foundation of our country’s existence.

THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators do hereby join in partnership to support National and Local efforts aimed at educating families and communities about the perils of missing and exploited children, what protective measures families should take to keep their children safer, and how to respond and seek help from law enforcement agencies and social services when needed.

This resolution was adopted this November 18, 2006, at the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators Executive Committee & BBA Annual Meeting held in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Assemblyman Felix W. Ortiz, NY
NHCSL President

Footnotes:
1According to Andrea J. Sedlak, David Finkelhor, Heather Hammer, and Dana J. Schultz in “National Estimates of Missing Children: An Overview,” National Incidence Studies of Missing, Abducted, Runaway, and Thrownaway Children, Washington, DC: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice, October 2002, page 5, 797,500 children were reported missing in 1999 [hereinafter Sedlak].
2Daily average of 2,184 is derived from 797,500 reports made in 12 months of 1999.
3Sedlak, supra note 1, page 10.
4Id., page 8.
5Robert D. Keppel, Joseph G. Weis, and Kenneth A. Hanfland. Case Management for Missing Children Homicide Investigation. Olympia, Washington: Office of the Attorney General, State of Washington and U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, May 1997, page 23.
6Id., page 13.
7Id., page 29.
8Reports of sexually exploited children have increased to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s CyberTipline from 9,668 reports in its first full year of operation in 1999 to 81,939 reports in 2003. These numbers are summarized from NCMEC Quarterly Progress Reports by John B. Rabun published in Alexandria, Virginia, by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children respectively January 13, 1999/page 37, January 13, 2000/page 36, January 8, 2003/page 27, and January 14, 2004/page 29.