Message from the Assistant Attorney General

Events of recent months have placed the horror of child abductions front and center in the minds of many Americans. I want to assure you that the issues associated with missing and exploited children are of great concern to us at the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and are something we address on a daily basis. Through the Child Protection Division of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), we work to meet the needs of missing, exploited, and runaway children and their families through direct services, research and demonstration programs, and training and technical assistance provided to a variety of community members. In addition, OJJDP funds a number of programs that promote child and teen safety.

Although a single child's victimization is one too many, our most recent national data reflect that stranger abductions are on the decline. Nonetheless, the data indicate that there were approximately 58,200 "non-family abductions" in the U.S. in 1999. Fortunately, 99% of the children returned home. Unfortunately, 115 of these abductions were perpetrated by strangers, and the child kept overnight, held for ransom, or killed.

These facts and figures can be obtained through OJP's Web site in the document Personal Safety for Children: A Guide for Parents. The Guide was released by the President on August 6, 2002, when he announced an October, 2002 White House Conference on Missing, Exploited and Runaway Children. I encourage you to visit our Web site regularly, to receive updated information on the Conference and to learn more about how OJP is working to help parents and communities protect our children.

August, 2002