[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 157 (Thursday, August 14, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43550-43555]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-21507]
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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Office of Justice Programs
[OJP(OJJDP)-1141]
RIN 1121-ZA87
Title IV Missing and Exploited Children's Fiscal Year 1997
Program Plan
AGENCY: Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and
Delinquency Prevention, Justice.
[[Page 43551]]
ACTION: Proposed program plan for public comment.
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SUMMARY: The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
(OJJDP) is publishing its Title IV Missing and Exploited Children's
Fiscal Year (FY) 1997 Proposed Program Plan and soliciting public
comment on the proposed plan and priorities. After analyzing the public
comments on this Proposed Program Plan, OJJDP will issue its final FY
1997 Title IV Program Plan.
DATES: Comments must be submitted by October 14, 1997.
ADDRESSES: Public comments should be mailed to Shay Bilchik,
Administrator, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention,
633 Indiana Avenue N.W., Room 742, Washington, D.C. 20531.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ronald C. Laney, Director, Missing and
Exploited Children's Program, 202-616-3637. [This is not a toll-free
number.]
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Missing and Exploited Children's Program
is a program of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
Prevention (OJJDP). Pursuant to the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
Prevention Act (JJDPA) of 1974, as amended, section 406(a)(2), 42
U.S.C. 5776, the Administrator of OJJDP is publishing for public
comment a Proposed Program Plan for activities authorized by Title IV,
the Missing Children's Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. 5771 et seq., that
OJJDP proposes to initiate or continue in FY 1997. Taking into
consideration comments received on this Proposed Program Plan, the
Administrator will develop and publish a Final Program Plan that
describes the program activities OJJDP plans to fund during FY 1997
using Title IV funds.
The actual solicitation of any competitive grant applications under
the Final Program Plan will be published at a later date in the Federal
Register. No proposals, concept papers, or other types of applications
should be submitted at this time.
Background
The Nature of the Problem of Missing and Exploited Children
The issues involving missing and exploited children can be divided
into four categories: family abduction, nonfamily abduction, child
exploitation, and the impact these events have on children and
families. These issues are summarized below, using data drawn from the
1988 National Incidence Study of Missing, Abducted, Runaway, or
Thrownaway Children (NISMART).
Family Abduction
An estimated 354,100 family abductions occur each year. Forty-six
percent of these abductions (163,200) involve concealment of the child,
transportation of the child out of State, or intent by the abductor to
keep the child indefinitely or to permanently alter custody. Of this
more serious subcategory of family abductions, a little more than half
are perpetrated by men who are noncustodial fathers and father figures.
Most victims are children between the ages of 2 and 11. Half involve
unauthorized takings, and half involve failure to return the child
after an authorized visit or stay. Fifteen percent of these abductions
involve the use of force or violence, and 75 to 85 percent involve
interstate transportation of the child. About half of family abductions
occur before the relationship ends. Half do not occur until 2 or more
years after a divorce or separation, usually after parents develop new
households, move away, develop new relationships, or become
disenchanted with the legal system. More than half occur in the context
of relationships with a history of domestic violence. An estimated 49
percent of abductors have criminal records, and a significant number
have a history of violent behavior, substance abuse, or emotional
disturbance. It is not uncommon for child victims of family abduction
to have their names and appearances altered; to experience medical or
physical neglect, unstable schooling, or homelessness; or to endure
frequent moves. These children are often told lies about the abduction
and the left-behind parent, even that the left-behind parent is dead.
Nonfamily Abduction
An estimated 3,200 to 4,600 short-term nonfamily abductions are
known to law enforcement each year. Of these, an estimated 200 to 300
are stereotypical kidnapings where a child is gone overnight, is
killed, or is transported a distance of 50 miles or more or where the
perpetrator intends to keep the child permanently. Young teenagers and
girls are the most common victims. Two-thirds of short-term abductions
involve a sexual assault. A majority are abducted from the street. More
than 85 percent of nonfamily abductions involve force, and more than 75
percent involve a weapon. Most episodes last less than a day. Most
researchers and practitioners consider the number of short-term
abductions to be an underestimate because of police reporting methods
and lack of reporting on the part of victims. Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI) data support estimates of 43 to 147 stranger
abduction homicides of children annually between 1976 and 1987. An
estimated 114,600 nonfamily abductions are attempted each year, most
involving strangers and usually involving an attempt to lure a child
into a car. In a majority of these cases, the police were not
contacted.
Child Exploitation
Children are also at risk of being victimized as a result of a
range of circumstances that fall into three categories: running away;
being expelled from the home, or ``thrownaway,'' by parents or
guardians; or being otherwise lost or missing.
An estimated 446,700 children run away from households each year.
In addition, an estimated 12,800 children run from juvenile facilities
each year. Many children who run from households also run from
facilities. About one-third of these runaways left home or a juvenile
facility more than once. Of all runaways, 133,500 are without secure
and familiar places to stay during their episodes. More than a third of
runaways run away more than once during the year. One in ten travels a
distance of more than 100 miles. Of the runaways from juvenile
facilities, almost one-half leave the State. Runaways are mostly
teenagers, but almost 10 percent are 11 years old and younger. They
tend to come disproportionately from households with stepparents.
Family conflict seems to be at the heart of most runaway episodes.
Between 60 and 70 percent of runaways report being seriously abused
physically. It is estimated that from 25 to 80 percent of all runaways
are sexually abused. Runaways, particularly chronic runaways, are at
higher risk for physical and sexual victimization, substance abuse,
sexually transmitted diseases, unintended pregnancies, violence, and
suicide.
There are an estimated 127,100 thrownaway children who are directly
told to leave their households, who have been away from home and are
not allowed back by their caretakers, whose caretakers make no effort
to recover them when they have run away, or who have been abandoned or
deserted. By comparison, for every child who is a thrownaway, there are
four runaway children. An estimated 59,200 thrownaway children are
without secure and familiar places to stay during the episodes. Most
thrownaways are older teenagers, but abandoned children tend to be
young (half under the age of 4). Thrownaways are concentrated in low-
income families and families without
[[Page 43552]]
both natural parents. Compared to runaways, thrownaways experience more
violence and conflict within their families and are less likely to
return home.
An estimated 438,200 children are lost, injured, or otherwise
missing each year. Of these, 139,100 cases are serious enough for the
police to be called. Almost half involve children under 4. Most of
these episodes last less than a day. A fifth of the children experience
physical harm. Fourteen percent of the children are abused or assaulted
during the episodes.
Impact on Children and Families
The majority of families of missing children experience substantial
psychological consequences and emotional distress. The level of
emotional distress equals or exceeds the emotional distress for other
groups of individuals exposed to trauma, such as combat veterans and
victims of rape, assault, or other violent crime, with families where
the missing child is subsequently recovered deceased exhibiting the
highest level of emotional distress. Once home, a third of abducted
children live in constant fear of a reabduction. Many child victims of
family abduction experience substantial psychological consequences and
emotional distress. Trauma symptoms may be evident for up to 4 or 5
years after recovery. More than 80 percent of recoveries of missing
children are concluded in less than 15 minutes with no psychological or
social service support. Almost four-fifths of victims and families of
missing children do not receive mental health or counseling services.
In most cases, the only nonfamily person present is a police officer.
Introduction to the Fiscal Year 1997 Program Plan
According to the most recent FBI National Crime Information Center
statistics, approximately 2,200 children are reported missing to law
enforcement each day. Many of these children are runaways, others are
taken by noncustodial parents and used as pawns in custody battles
between their parents. Some wander away and are unable to find their
way home, and still others represent a parent's worst nightmare, the
loss of a child to a predator. In 1984, Congress recognized the
necessity of a national response to missing children and enacted the
Missing Children's Assistance Act to establish a Missing and Exploited
Children Program within the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
Prevention (OJJDP). The Missing Children's Assistance Act authorizes
assistance for research, demonstration, and service programs and for
establishment and support of a national resource center and
clearinghouse dedicated to missing and exploited children.
In FY 1997, OJJDP will continue to concentrate on programs that are
national in scope, promote awareness, and enhance the Nation's response
to missing children and their families.
The Office will continue to support the National Center for Missing
and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which serves as the national resource
center and clearinghouse.
In FY 1996, NCMEC's toll-free hotline received 107,052 calls that
ranged from citizens reporting investigative leads to requests for
publications and advice from parents, law enforcement, prosecutors, and
other professionals working on issues of missing children. The NCMEC
Web site, which provides missing children posters and publications
available for downloading, registered more than 1 million requests for
information. In addition, NCMEC, using OJJDP funds, completed an
upgrade of the State Missing Clearinghouse online communications
network with the installation of new computers, scanners, software, and
printers. This upgrade has substantially enhanced the clearinghouses'
capacity to share information and disseminate missing children posters.
As the competitively awarded Title IV Training and Technical
Assistance grantee, Fox Valley Technical College (FVTC) of Appleton,
Wisconsin, will continue to offer training courses pertaining to
investigation of child abuse and missing and exploited children cases
and will provide technical assistance upon request. In FY 1996, 1,522
individuals attended FVTC's 40-hour courses that provided information
about investigative techniques, interview strategies, offender and
victim profiles, and an overview of available resources to assist State
and local law enforcement to investigate cases of missing, exploited,
and abused children. FVTC also facilitated OJJDP's national training
workshop for State clearinghouses and nonprofit organizations working
on missing and exploited children's issues.
The workshop, attended by representatives from every State and
Canada, fostered communication and networking; offered information
about programs, activities, and services; and provided tools for
professionals returning to their communities to work on missing
children issues.
Several new initiatives began in FY 1996. The Federal Agency Task
Force for Missing and Exploited Children released the publication
Federal Resources on Missing and Exploited Children: A Directory for
Law Enforcement and Other Public and Private Agencies. The Directory
contains information regarding services ranging from the immediate
delivery of specialized forensic and investigative services at the
scene of an abducted child investigation to longer term training and
prevention programs that improve community safety and enhance
investigative resources of Federal, State, and local law enforcement
agencies.
To help investigators determine if a child is abused or exploited
and collect the evidence necessary for effective prosecution, OJJDP
developed four new portable guides for police officers, medical
professionals, and social services professionals investigating child
abuse and exploitation cases. These guides, which provide ``on the
scene'' guidance to law enforcement officers investigating suspected
crimes against children, were the first in an 11-part series. In FY
1996, OJJDP released Recognizing When a Child's Injury or Illness Is
Caused by Abuse, Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Child Sexual Abuse,
Photodocumentation in the Investigation of Child Abuse, and Diagnostic
Imaging of Child Abuse. The remaining seven guides on topics such as
child homicide, burn injuries, pedophiles, and interviewing child
witnesses will be released in FY 1997. Because the guides have been
well received, OJJDP is considering expanding the series to other
topics on which it would be helpful for law enforcement and other
child-serving professionals to have information immediately available.
In FY 1996, OJJDP played a major role in the implementation of the
Presidential memorandum regarding the posting of missing children's
posters in Federal buildings. OJJDP and NCMEC assisted the General
Services Administration and other Federal agencies to develop
procedures and guidelines to make information about specific missing
children available to Federal workers and the general public.
Also in FY 1996, OJJDP--working with the Attorney General--sent
letters to all State Attorneys General, State Missing Children
Clearinghouses, and United States Attorneys to share information about
Federal programs, services, and activities to support law enforcement
and other professionals working on missing children issues. In
addition, the Attorney General presented NCMEC's Law Enforcement
Officer of the Year Award to Detective Sheila Jenkins of Pascagoula,
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Mississippi, in a ceremony commemorating National Missing Children's
Day. In FY 1997, OJJDP and its grantees will build on these efforts in
order to enhance the response to missing, exploited children and their
families.
Fiscal Year 1997 Programs
The Title IV continuation programs for FY 1997 are summarized
below. The available funds, implementation sites, and other descriptive
information are subject to change based on the plan review process,
grantee performance, application quality, fund availability, and other
factors. Additional programs may be added to the plan based on the
review and comment process.
Continuation Programs
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children ($3,444,000)
This 3-year cooperative agreement funds the operation of a national
resource center and clearinghouse as established in section 404(b), 42
U.S.C. 5773, of the JJDP Act. The Clearinghouse operates a 24-hour
toll-free telephone line through which individuals may report
information regarding the location of a child who is missing or who is
age 13 or younger and whose whereabouts are unknown to the child's
legal custodian or request information pertaining to procedures
necessary to reunite the child with the legal guardian. The
Clearinghouse is responsible for providing a wide range of assistance
to State and local governments, public and private nonprofit agencies,
and individuals. This assistance includes coordinating public and
private programs that locate, recover, or reunite missing children with
their legal guardians; providing training and technical assistance;
disseminating information about innovative and model missing children's
programs; and facilitating the lawful use of school records to identify
and locate missing children.
Under a triparty agreement with the U.S. Department of State,
OJJDP, and NCMEC, NCMEC is assisting the State Department to carry out
this Nation's responsibilities under the Hague Convention. NCMEC
assists in locating children illegally removed from other countries to
the United States and facilitates access for visitation or their return
to the custodial parent. In FY 1997, NCMEC is enhancing services to
American parents whose children have been wrongfully taken to or
retained in other countries. NCMEC will provide technical assistance on
legal matters, administrative support, translation services, poster
dissemination, international organization liaison, and advocacy.
NCMEC will also coordinate four State Missing Children
Clearinghouse Coalition meetings in FY 1997. These meetings will
include State clearinghouse activity reports, information about Federal
and NCMEC programs and activities, and current policy discussions that
impact on missing children issues.
In addition, OJJDP and NCMEC are developing an informational
brochure pertaining to case-specific public service announcements
(PSA's) for dissemination to the television media. The brochures will
contain guidelines and information for local television stations
producing PSA's about specific children abducted under life threatening
circumstances.
For more information about the wide range of NCMEC services for
parents; missing children organizations; Federal, State, and local law
enforcement; prosecutors; and other professionals working to reunite
missing children and their families, please contact NCMEC at 800-843-
5678.
Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association's Safe Return
Program ($900,000)
OJJDP oversees this program, under which NCMEC serves as the
clearinghouse and operates the hotline for the Alzheimer's program. In
FY 1996, with an additional 8,850 registrants, the Safe Return Program
increased the registration data base to 26,101 individuals and assisted
in the return of 702 wanderers to their caregivers. In addition, the
program implemented an image data base consisting of more than 25,500
photographs, produced and disseminated a training video for law
enforcement, developed a Safe Return Handbook for the Alzheimer's
Association chapters, and implemented an awards program to acknowledge
individuals who play a vital role in the return home of a Safe Return
registrant. In FY 1997, the program will continue to expand the
national registry of memory-impaired persons, support the toll-free
telephone service, provide a Fax Alert System, conduct a ``train the
trainers'' program for law enforcement and emergency personnel, develop
information and educational materials, launch a national public
awareness campaign, and transition current ``wandering persons''
programs into the national Safe Return Program. For more information
about the Safe Return Program, please contact the National Alzheimer's
and Related Disease Association at 312-335-8700.
Title IV Training and Technical Assistance ($1,500,000)
The Title IV Training and Technical Assistance Program assists
OJJDP and missing children grantees in raising the awareness of missing
children services and improving system capabilities to meet the needs
of missing and exploited children. This is accomplished by developing
and implementing quality training and technical assistance for Federal,
State, and local governments; nonprofit organizations; and Title IV
grantees.
In FY 1997, the Title IV Training and Technical Assistance Program
will provide training and technical assistance related to the Missing
and Exploited Children's Comprehensive Action Program (M/CAP). M/CAP is
a national demonstration project to promote the implementation of
multiagency community approaches to respond to missing and exploited
children cases. Through a broad program of technical assistance and
training, M/CAP has helped agencies develop an effective multiagency
team to deal with missing and exploited children cases and provided
training and technical assistance to build specialized skills to handle
these cases. Existing M/CAP sites will be encouraged to serve as
regional technical assistance sites and, using information and
knowledge gained from experienced M/CAP jurisdictions, FVTC will
provide training and technical assistance to communities interested in
developing M/CAP programs in their neighborhoods.
In addition to delivering Title IV training and technical
assistance, FVTC will develop written protocols to coordinate service
delivery to missing children and their families. These protocols will
be developed through working groups composed of representatives from
all members of the missing children community. Once developed, these
protocols will be offered for adoption by entities working to reunite
missing children and their families. Also in FY 1997, FVTC will update
the Federal Resource Directory and develop a child fatality review team
training course for law enforcement, prosecutors, medical, and child
services professionals. In addition, OJJDP, working with FVTC, will
develop a 1-day training course on information sharing as it relates to
missing children. Based on the availability of funds, technical
assistance will also be available to jurisdictions upon request.
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National Missing Children Data Archive ($25,000)
This agreement continues funding for the Missing Children Data
Archive. Through a cooperative agreement with the University of
Michigan Consortium for Political and Social Research, staff process
and archive OJJDP missing children data into a readily understandable,
standard format (this includes data sets produced through OJJDP missing
children projects). In FY 1996, six data sets were processed by the
University and made publicly available. In addition to being available
on magnetic tape, these studies are also available for downloading
through the Internet (http://www.icpr.umich.edu). In FY 1997, the
University will continue to receive studies for processing and will
prepare a CD-ROM to make research data sets more accessible.
National Crime Information Center (NCIC) ($100,000)
FY 1997 funds will be awarded to continue NCMEC's online access to
the FBI National Crime Information Center's (NCIC) Wanted and Missing
Persons files. NCMEC's ability to verify NCIC entries, communicate with
law enforcement through the Interstate Law Enforcement
Telecommunication System, and be notified of life threatening cases
through the NCIC flagging system, is crucial to its mission of
providing advice and technical assistance to law enforcement.
NISMART II ($350,000)
Temple University Institute for Survey Research was awarded a grant
in FY 1995 to conduct the second National Incidence Studies of Missing,
Exploited, Abducted, Runaway, and Thrownaway Children (NISMART II).
This project builds on the strengths and addresses some of the
weaknesses of NISMART I. Temple has assembled a team of experts in the
field of child victimization and survey research capabilities,
particularly surveys involving children and families concerning
sensitive topics. Temple is contracting with the University of New
Hampshire Survey Research Lab and Westat, Inc., to carry out specific
components of the study and provide extensive background knowledge
about the particulars of NISMART I. Specifically, the project will: (1)
Revise NISMART definitions, (2) conduct a household survey that
interviews both caretaker and child, (3) conduct a police records
study, (4) conduct a juvenile facilities study, (5) analyze National
Incidence Study-3 Community Professionals Study, (6) develop a single
estimate of missing children, and (7) conduct analyses and prepare
reports. An additional $350,000 will be awarded to this project in FY
1997. The project is scheduled for completion in FY 1999.
Effective Community-Based Approaches for Dealing With Missing and
Exploited Children ($250,000)
In FY 1995, the American Bar Association (ABA) was awarded an 18-
month grant to study effective community-based approaches for dealing
with missing and exploited children. The objectives of Phase I of this
study are to (1) conduct a national search for communities that have
implemented a multiagency response to missing and exploited children
and their families, (2) select five communities with a working
multiagency response that holds promise for replication, (3) evaluate
these five communities, and (4) prepare a final report. In FY 1996, the
ABA drafted a survey instrument and obtained Paper Work Reduction Act
clearance for dissemination. In Phase II, the ABA will design and
develop a modular training curriculum to help communities plan,
implement, and evaluate a multiagency response to missing and exploited
children and their families. In FY 1997, $250,000 will be awarded to
the ABA to complete Phase II of the project.
Obstacles to the Recovery and Return of Parentally Abducted Children:
International Child Abduction Attorney Network ($32,629)
This project, initially funded in FY 1994, established the
International Child Abduction Attorney Network (ICAAN), composed of
attorneys who are willing to represent parents on a pro bono basis in
legal actions under the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of
International Child Abduction and who are knowledgeable about the Hague
Convention and its implementing status in the United States. NCMEC uses
this referral network to resolve incoming Hague Convention cases. In FY
1996, the ABA recruited more than 250 attorneys and established an
ICAAN data base and mentoring system. In FY 1997, in addition to
ongoing recruiting efforts and dissemination of legal materials to
volunteer attorneys, the ABA will conduct a training institute for
judges and attorneys at the Hague Child Abduction Convention at the
Second World Congress on Family Law and the Rights of Children in June
1997 on the subject of the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of
International Child Abduction. The ABA will also continue to provide
technical assistance to the National Conference of Commissioners on
Uniform State Laws in the development of the Uniform Child Custody and
Enforcement Act.
Issues in Resolving Cases of International Parental Abductions of
Children ($32,946)
In FY 1996, the ABA completed a survey of left-behind parents whose
children were taken from the United States. The survey results guided
OJJDP funding and program decisions; were made available to the U.S.
State Department, NCMEC, and other interested persons; and will be
presented at the spring 1997 meeting at the Hague meeting for signatory
countries. The ABA also completed research that identified six abductor
risk profiles and some promising intervention strategies. This project,
initially funded in FY 1994, will build on the original ABA research
and will increase the practical usefulness of the research for parents,
lawyers, judges, missing children's organizations, and responsible
agencies in signatory countries by documenting specific actions parents
take when planning an abduction; identifying best practices,
procedures, and material related to resolving cases of international
child abductions that leading professionals use and others could adopt;
providing dissemination and technical assistance to allow the findings
to reach specific audiences in a timely and appropriate way; and
incorporating the new research findings into the final research report
and research summary. This information will be disseminated in calendar
year 1997. For more detailed information regarding the ABA research and
parental abduction activities, please contact the ABA at 202-662-1000.
Parent Resource Support Network ($125,000)
OJJDP solicited FY 1996 competitive proposals for an assistance
award to a nonprofit organization to develop and maintain a parent
support network. The need for victim parents to speak with other victim
parents has emerged as a constant theme in several OJJDP focus groups.
The goal of this project is to stimulate development of a network of
screened and trained parent volunteers who will provide assistance and
advice to other victim parents. No new funds will be awarded in FY
1997.
Criminal Parental Kidnaping Training and Technical Assistance
($250,000)
In FY 1996, the American Prosecutors Research Institute (APRI)
provided training to more than 70 prosecutors representing communities
seeking to enhance their response to parental
[[Page 43555]]
kidnaping cases and delivered case-specific technical assistance to
prosecutors in more than 100 cases. APRI also gave presentations
regarding parental kidnaping issues to the 24th National Conference on
Juvenile Justice, which was sponsored by the National Council of
Juvenile and Family Court Judges and the National District Attorneys
Association. APRI continued to analyze and report on emerging
legislative trends and disseminate publications ranging from the 46-
page Investigation and Prosecution of Parental Abduction to the
Directory of Parental Kidnaping Prosecutors and Investigators to
prosecutors. In FY 1997, APRI will receive funding to continue training
and technical assistance for prosecutors working on parental abduction
cases. In addition to delivering training, APRI will disseminate a
quarterly newsletter, maintain a parental kidnaping data base that
includes a statutory compilation and case law summaries, and offer
technical assistance to prosecutors on an as-needed basis. In addition,
APRI will develop a child exploitation training and technical
assistance program for prosecutors. For more information, please
contact APRI at 703-739-0321.
New Programs
For FY 1997, Congress set aside $1.5 million in Title II, Part C,
of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act to establish the
Jimmy Ryce Law Enforcement Training Center (JRLETC), and related
activities, at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
These funds will be used to enhance the overall response to nonparental
abductions by providing training and technical assistance to Federal,
State, and local law enforcement. Specifically, OJJDP proposes to
allocate the funds as described in the next four paragraphs.
In FY 1997, $750,000 will be awarded to NCMEC to implement a new
national law enforcement training seminar program for law enforcement
executives. The seminar will highlight the most current research and
practices and provide information pertaining to comprehensive response
protocols and NCMEC and Federal resources to assist State and local law
enforcement. These funds will also be used to reimburse travel and
lodging expenses of seminar attendees at the JRLETC.
$500,000 would be awarded to FVTC to accelerate delivery of the
Responding to Missing and Exploited Children Course. This course, which
targets State and local law enforcement, offers modules providing
investigative information on all aspects of missing children cases and
complements the CEO training conducted at the JRLETC. FVTC will also
assist NCMEC in the scheduling and logistics associated with the JRLETC
CEO training.
The FBI Criminal Justice Information Services Division would
receive $150,000 to provide training for National Crime Information
Center (NCIC) Control Terminal Officers in the new NCIC flagging
system, Federal resources to assist State and local law enforcement
investigating missing children cases, and NCIC Missing Person File
definitions.
The FBI Child Abduction Serial Killer Unit (CASKU) would receive
$100,000 to provide training and technical assistance to State and
local law enforcement agencies investigating difficult missing children
cases. CASKU and the Hardiman Task Force will assess incident response
for the purposes of curriculum development and will assist in the CEO
training at JRLETC.
Judicial Teleconference on Interstate and Intrastate Child Abduction
Law enforcement, prosecutors, and judges do not have sufficient
information or knowledge regarding the laws pertaining to interstate
and international parental abduction. This lack of information impedes
effective resolution of jurisdictional conflicts between States and
implementation of the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of
International Child Abduction. A teleconference on interstate and
international child custody jurisdiction and parental abduction will
provide an opportunity for interested individuals around the country to
access information in an affordable, convenient forum. Conference
proceedings can be used to develop a guidebook for judges. OJJDP
proposes to fund this teleconference through a supplement to the
existing Part C video conference support grant to Eastern Kentucky
University.
Dated: August 8, 1997.
Shay Bilchik,
Administrator, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
[FR Doc. 97-21507 Filed 8-13-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-18-P
