Articles
We have gathered some interesting articles on the subject of missing children. Educate and empower yourself by reading the following:
Helping reunite kids with their families
By ERICA LAMBERG
Correspondent
The statistics about missing children are staggering, and, with hopes to help reunite children and their parents quicker, a Somerset County company has introduced a revolutionary digital child ID system that uses a new generation of proprietary computer software to collect a child's photographs, identifying information, medical data and digital fingerprints.
Parents keep this bundled information ready on their personal computer, and in the event of an emergency, they can immediately transmit these files to law enforcement officials, allowing them to begin the search for the child immediately rather than spend precious time collecting basic information.
"Being unprepared for a missing child emergency may cause a parent to panic -- an emotion probably felt to some extent by every parent whose child has wandered away in a park or shopping mall, or has become lost -- even momentarily -- in a crowded room," said N. Janine Dickey, executive director and general counsel of Life-Prints, based in the Martinsville section of Bridgewater. "Clearly, this is not a time for helplessness. Life-Prints was created to equip parents with the tools and knowledge to react quickly and effectively in order to facilitate law enforcement to quickly locate and safely return a child."
Dickey emphasizes that parents should always call 911 first. Then, she said, when a parent presses Life-Print's emergency button icon, the critical child ID information is electronically formatted into a set of files that are compatible with the two major police missing person's bulletin systems: the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's "Locator" system and New Jersey's Missing Children Alert System (known nationally as the Critical Reach system.) NCMEC is the gatekeeper of Amber Alert, and its Locator system serves 3,500 law enforcement offices.
Dickey said child identification privacy is paramount.
"Life-Prints has taken every effort to protect a child's privacy," Dickey said. "The Child ID information is 128-bit encrypted and password protected. Only the parent or guardian has access to the Child ID information. The parent or guardian is in full control of maintaining and updating the child ID data and transmitting it in the event of an emergency. There is no database. Life-Prints does not keep nor share any Child ID information."
Further, a key component of the Life-Prints system is that information and photographs can be updated as often as necessary. When traveling, the Life-Prints emergency files can be uploaded to any computer storage device including portable flash drives or memory cards.
Dickey earned a bachelor's degree from University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Va., and a law degree from Georgetown Law School in Washington.
Prior to joining Life-Prints, Dickey operated a private practice law firm in Somerset County for 15 years. Now full-time with Life-Prints, she oversees New Jersey operations and is involved with product development, marketing and human resources.
"It's a large responsibility, but protecting our children will be the ultimate reward," she said.
The software can be purchased and downloaded by visiting www.life-prints.com, and the site also provides numerous resources, links and statistics regarding missing children.
Raising Savvy Kids
Teaching Awareness at Any Age
Watching the evening news can be a real eye-opener for many parents. It seems there are stories about children being molested, abused, abducted, or otherwise victimized on a regular basis. No one wants to face the possibility that something that horrific could happen to their child, and preventative action must be taken before an issue arises. Teaching your child to be aware of his/her surroundings and instilling in them the self-confidence and trust to bring situations to your attention is a vital piece of the strategy you select to protect your child.
So how do you teach your child to be cautious and recognize signs of danger? The answer depends on the age of your child, the family structure, and what the child is mature enough to understand. Use the tips below to develop a safety plan that will best protect your family.
Ages Newborn - 4
Very young children are at risk not only due to lack of experience and limited ability to communicate, but because they have short attention spans. It is not realistic to expect young children to remember rules or to be able to resist inappropriate offers from adults. There is no substitute for constant adult supervision for young children.
1. Keep your instructions short and simple, and repeat them often.
2. Reward positive behavior such as asking permission to play outside.
3. Never leave your child alone under any circumstances.
4. Keep information and photos of your child updated at least every 6 months.
Ages 5 - 8
As children get older, they begin to experience the world beyond the protective gaze of their parents. When starting school, make sure your child:
1. Knows their full name, your full name, address, and your telephone number.
2. Knows not to talk to strangers for any reason.
3. Knows that it is OK to say “No” to an adult if the child feels in any way frightened by their words or actions.
4. Knows to tell you of any situation that makes them scared or uncomfortable.
5. Never walks alone traveling to and from school.
6. Knows not to accept rides home or any other offers that their parents have not approved in advance.
7. Knows that if they are approached by someone in a car, to run away in the opposite direction a car is facing.
8. Continue to keep information and photos of your child updated at least every 6 months
As a parent, make sure you:
1. Keep in touch with your child’s school and check in often
2. Get to know your children’s friends and their parents
3. Always take the child’s concerns seriously, as children are unlikely to lie at this stage of development
4. Use caution when allowing interaction between your children and your acquaintances
5. Select an emergency family password, and teach your child how to use it
Ages 9 - 12
During the pre-teen years children are becoming more mature both physically and emotionally. Many parents begin to teach their children about sexuality at this age, and how children can protect themselves without being overly afraid. Parents need to be especially aware of their children’s friends, television and Internet usage, and monitor cell phones and text messages. In addition to the steps above, make sure your child knows:
1. It is never appropriate for an adult to ask them about their “private parts” or ask them to do anything that involves touching others or looking at pictures relating to sex
2. To immediately break contact with anyone that makes them uncomfortable.
3. To tell you or another trusted adult right away of any inappropriate behavior by an adult
4. Never agree to meet anyone they talk to on the Internet without your approval and your supervision
5. Never to give out personal information such as their full name, street address, name of the school they attend or extracurricular activities even if they think the person they are talking to is a friend
6. The appearance and physical characteristics of pre-teens can change drastically as they mature. The addition or removal of dental braces can drastically alter appearance as well as changes in hairstyle, hair color and clothing. Consequently, it is vitally important to continue to update your pre-teen's information and photographs frequently
Ages 13 - 18
Teens are also vulnerable, in part because many teens believe themselves to be too smart, too experienced, or just too lucky to have any thing bad happen to them. They are often motivated by their peers to make choices and take risks that are often more dangerous than they seem. A teenager may become angry at a parent and may “lash out” by running away or sneaking out of the house. When talking to your teen about the dangers of abduction and abuse, it is best to make sure you:
1. Do not belittle or talk down to them
2. Discuss consequences that may occur from inappropriate situations
3. Answer all their questions truthfully and completely
4. Reassure them of your support and trust
5. Advise them about the various teen hotlines, if for any reason they cannot talk to you
6. Make certain you know where they will be and with whom
7. Invite their friends over so you can get to know them
8. Be aware of risky situations and dangerous behavior by your teen or their friends
9. Stay involved with their school, even if it embarrasses them
10. Your teen may at this age resist being photographed. Make opportunities to casually photograph your teen in order to keep your records updated
Communicating effectively with your children, instilling self-confidence, listening to their fears and concerns, and giving them the right tools to protect themselves is the best defense against possible tragedy. And as always, be an involved and prepared parent in all stages of their development.
More information
- A 4-minute overview movie of the software
- Press releases about the software
- Order your copy of our software today!
- Instructions what to do in case of an emergency
- Resources, including a list of Child Advocacy Agencies and Child Safety Guides
