The child alert procedure and media coverage after Madeleine disappeared.

[Wonderfulspam]

There'd be no need for child alerts, if parents practiced half decent parenting.

The End.

[Carana]

Twitter storm of support for AMBER Alert Europe

Following the presentation of AMBER Alert Europe's 5 key points on May 20th in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Members of the European Parliament massively share their support for AMBER Alert Europe on Twitter. Special thanks to Dr. Kay Swinburne and her Conservative colleagues for hosting the event in the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

AMBER Alert Europe calls on all MEP's to follow Dr. Swinburne's example and bring the five key points into action. Click here for more information on the five key points.

    A bigger, stronger AMBER Alert network
    More flexibility in issuing alerts
    Better cross-border information sharing
    Better cross-border police co-operation
    Border checks on children's passports



1. A bigger, stronger AMBER Alert network by reinvigorating the 2008 conclusions on Child abduction alerts

AMBER Alert Europe's ultimate goal is to improve the protection of endangered missing children in Europe and support the recommendation for all member states to have child alert systems that are capable to interoperate with other member states. Currently 14 countries have alert systems in place of which 8 have been used.

CALL FOR ACTION
We are actively working with member states to assist with the development of alerts systems but call on the EU to encourage more member states to develop EU child alerts systems.

2. More flexibility in issuing child alerts
In order to significantly increase the opportunities to save children at risk of immediate serious harm, we would like to amend the criteria for issuing child alerts. The current criteria require a proven abduction or clear elements indicating that it could be a case of abduction. We would like to add the possibility to issue an alert when police specialists have assessed that the child's life is in imminent danger.

CALL FOR ACTION
We call for amending the current criteria for issuing child alerts by adding the possibility to issue an alert when police specialists have assessed that the child's life is in imminent danger.

3. Better cross-border information sharing
Every endangered missing child deserves an equal chance of being found as quickly as possible and this must not be inhibited by them crossing borders. Ensuring that information about endangered children is shared across borders is essential. Common borders mean common responsibilities. Following the Schengen agreement and the freedom of information, information on missing children should immediately cross internal EU borders.

CALL FOR ACTION
AMBER Alert Europe calls for protocols to ensure that when a child is at risk in a border area or the police suspect that the child may have crossed the border, the police in the other country are informed immediately. When the police decide to inform the media and public about such a case, media and public at the other side of the border should also be immediately informed.

4. Better cross-border police cooperation
"Criminals work together across borders, why can't governments do the same?" Sophie in 't Veld - Member of European Parliament (ALDE/ D66, Netherlands)

We recognise the requirements of the legal process and organisations such as Interpol but it is essential that when a child's life is in danger police experts must be able to initiate immediate action. As a first step towards this, we are creating an informal European police expert network, currently consisting of over 20 law enforcement specialists from 8 countries, led by Charlie Hedges, a renowned expert in the field of missing children.

These dedicated roles will form a network of experts throughout Europe, to be the first point of contact in critical cases and to enable the sharing of good practice. We will work with all organisations to ensure that the above does not create overlaps or conflicts.

CALL FOR ACTION
We call for the creation of a formal European network of experts in endangered missing children and child alerts on a national level. The network should be part of the law enforcement response and is to be appointed as such by the relevant authorities in each EU member state. We also call for all organisations, statutory and NGOs to work together for the common purpose of protecting vulnerable children.

5. Border checks on children's passports
It is important to establish effective cooperation between national police and border guards protecting the outer borders of the EU. Ensuring that the children are crossing the border legitimately is a critical part of this as they may be at serious risk of harm such as trafficking, smuggling and abduction.

CALL FOR ACTION
We call for protocols to ensure that international procedures for entering Article 32 Alerts (Missing Persons) in SIS II, including the automatic insertion and prioritization of endangered missing children are always followed. We also call for passports of all children to be swiped to assist in identifying those at risk of harm.

http://amberalert.eu/News.aspx?newsId=102

[Brietta]

Twitter storm of support for AMBER Alert Europe

Following the presentation of AMBER Alert Europe's 5 key points on May 20th in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Members of the European Parliament massively share their support for AMBER Alert Europe on Twitter. Special thanks to Dr. Kay Swinburne and her Conservative colleagues for hosting the event in the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

AMBER Alert Europe calls on all MEP's to follow Dr. Swinburne's example and bring the five key points into action. Click here for more information on the five key points.

    A bigger, stronger AMBER Alert network
    More flexibility in issuing alerts
    Better cross-border information sharing
    Better cross-border police co-operation
    Border checks on children's passports



1. A bigger, stronger AMBER Alert network by reinvigorating the 2008 conclusions on Child abduction alerts

AMBER Alert Europe's ultimate goal is to improve the protection of endangered missing children in Europe and support the recommendation for all member states to have child alert systems that are capable to interoperate with other member states. Currently 14 countries have alert systems in place of which 8 have been used.

CALL FOR ACTION
We are actively working with member states to assist with the development of alerts systems but call on the EU to encourage more member states to develop EU child alerts systems.

2. More flexibility in issuing child alerts
In order to significantly increase the opportunities to save children at risk of immediate serious harm, we would like to amend the criteria for issuing child alerts. The current criteria require a proven abduction or clear elements indicating that it could be a case of abduction. We would like to add the possibility to issue an alert when police specialists have assessed that the child's life is in imminent danger.

CALL FOR ACTION
We call for amending the current criteria for issuing child alerts by adding the possibility to issue an alert when police specialists have assessed that the child's life is in imminent danger.

3. Better cross-border information sharing
Every endangered missing child deserves an equal chance of being found as quickly as possible and this must not be inhibited by them crossing borders. Ensuring that information about endangered children is shared across borders is essential. Common borders mean common responsibilities. Following the Schengen agreement and the freedom of information, information on missing children should immediately cross internal EU borders.

CALL FOR ACTION
AMBER Alert Europe calls for protocols to ensure that when a child is at risk in a border area or the police suspect that the child may have crossed the border, the police in the other country are informed immediately. When the police decide to inform the media and public about such a case, media and public at the other side of the border should also be immediately informed.

4. Better cross-border police cooperation
"Criminals work together across borders, why can't governments do the same?" Sophie in 't Veld - Member of European Parliament (ALDE/ D66, Netherlands)

We recognise the requirements of the legal process and organisations such as Interpol but it is essential that when a child's life is in danger police experts must be able to initiate immediate action. As a first step towards this, we are creating an informal European police expert network, currently consisting of over 20 law enforcement specialists from 8 countries, led by Charlie Hedges, a renowned expert in the field of missing children.

These dedicated roles will form a network of experts throughout Europe, to be the first point of contact in critical cases and to enable the sharing of good practice. We will work with all organisations to ensure that the above does not create overlaps or conflicts.

CALL FOR ACTION
We call for the creation of a formal European network of experts in endangered missing children and child alerts on a national level. The network should be part of the law enforcement response and is to be appointed as such by the relevant authorities in each EU member state. We also call for all organisations, statutory and NGOs to work together for the common purpose of protecting vulnerable children.

5. Border checks on children's passports
It is important to establish effective cooperation between national police and border guards protecting the outer borders of the EU. Ensuring that the children are crossing the border legitimately is a critical part of this as they may be at serious risk of harm such as trafficking, smuggling and abduction.

CALL FOR ACTION
We call for protocols to ensure that international procedures for entering Article 32 Alerts (Missing Persons) in SIS II, including the automatic insertion and prioritization of endangered missing children are always followed. We also call for passports of all children to be swiped to assist in identifying those at risk of harm.

http://amberalert.eu/News.aspx?newsId=102

In August 2007 Nick Amies was highlighting the European wide problem of the lack of a system like Amber Alert and the disparities of  provision to look for missing children in different European countries.

He used the shameful instance of a family reliant on their own resources to keep looking for their missing daughter in the absence of any official procedures being in place to help them do so.

That it is now in operation and has been successful in many instances validates its inception and the fact that one high profile case, that of Madeleine McCann, has been used to highlight the need for it.


Experts Say New Alert System Needed in EU Child Searches

The EU has a lot of experience in dealing with cross-border problems. So it should come as no surprise that its efforts to solve child abduction cases should focus on cooperation and standardized search procedures.

**snip
Whether one admires or criticizes the McCanns' use of the media in the search for their daughter, one thing cannot be ignored: The media strategy has resulted in an unprecedented level of coverage regarding a child's abduction.

But should a family have to create its own rolling news channel to keep the world informed of the efforts to find a missing child? Could the creation of the "Find Madeleine" campaign also be a reaction to inadequate international search procedures?
http://www.dw.de/experts-say-new-alert-system-needed-in-eu-child-searches/a-2749573

[mercury]

Alert system for Madeleine


Abduction time : none
Vehicle description: none
Abductor description : none

[Carana]

Alert system for Madeleine


Abduction time : none
Vehicle description: none
Abductor description : none

Unfortunately, that's often the case, hence - perhaps - the move to extend the conditions for an alert to be issued when there is reason to believe that a missing child could be in imminent danger whatever the cause.

[mercury]

Unfortunately, that's often the case, hence - perhaps - the move to extend the conditions for an alert to be issued when there is reason to believe that a missing child could be in imminent danger whatever the cause.

No one would deny that any attempt to improve any kind of alert is not a good thing. But I was referring to the Mccanns saying that an "Amber Alert" could have helped at the time when it is a fact that no, it couldn't, as none of the factors required for an Amber Alert were present.

[Brietta]

No one would deny that any attempt to improve any kind of alert is not a good thing. But I was referring to the Mccanns saying that an "Amber Alert" could have helped at the time when it is a fact that no, it couldn't, as none of the factors required for an Amber Alert were present.

A missing child?

[mercury]

A missing child?

That is not enough to warrant an Amber Alert
It should be but it isn't

[Brietta]

Eye-scanners used to track terrorists adapted to help search for missing children like Madeleine McCann

• Devices will be used to scan a person's eye from up to 40 feet away
• Developed by Carnegie Mellon University's College of Engineering in Pittsburgh
• They will check the 'fingerprint' of iris against database of missing people
• Similar technology already used by military to identify suspected terrorists
• Could help find missing children whose appearances have altered

By KATE PICKLES FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 09:32, 4 August 2015 | UPDATED: 16:48, 4 August 2015

Eye-scanners used to track terrorists are being adapted to help search for missing children.

Researchers at a Pittsburgh university have developed high-resolution cameras that can be placed at major checkpoints, such as airports and border crossings, to scan a person's iris from 40-feet away.

It means missing people could be identified through their eye's iris, even if their physical appearance has altered drastically.

'This is breakthrough technology for locating missing children, especially victims of human trafficking,' said Marios Savvides, director of the CyLab Biometrics Center at Carnegie Mellon University's College of Engineering.
'Right now law enforcement has only photos of missing children to work with, but appearance can change.'
'We're giving them a biometric that really cannot be altered,' he told Fox News.

The technology could help children like British girl Madeleine McCann who went missing from a holiday apartment in Portugal, eight years ago, just days before her fourth birthday.

Pictures circulated of the blonde youngster focused on a distinctive mark on her right eye that her family hope will still lead to her identification, years later.

But this technology would go beyond anything that could be seen by the naked eye, scientists say.

In order for the process to work, parents would have to have their children's irises scanned and put onto an international database.

The cameras could then alert authorities if a missing person was brought through the checkpoints, which would be especially useful to stop international trafficking.

The technology could also be used by police to help catch criminals by allowing identification without having to come directly into contact with them.

The university lab was given a $1.5million grant from the Department of Defense to develop the technology, which the U.S. military has used in Afghanistan and Iraq to help identify suspected terrorists.

It works in a similar fashion to fingerprints as a person's iris has a distinct pattern which doesn't change over time.   

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3184725/Eye-scanners-used-track-terrorists-adapted-help-search-missing-children-like-Madeleine-McCann.html#ixzz3hrlvTcRG

[mercury]

Seems like a great idea, in theory at least. I wonder where they got the iris scans of criminals and terrorists that are being tracked.

[G-Unit]

Micro-chipping children has been suggested, and now recording eye patterns. It would certainly make life easier for all sorts of people if we were all recorded on some database in the future. It's never going to happen in my opinion, as it's such an invasion of freedom and privacy; very Big Brother.

[mercury]

My cat is microchipped. I doubt very much any parent would do the same to their kids(or themselves) just in case they got abducted or went missing of own volition.

Iris scanning is a little more feasible in theory, but only if existing records are amalgamated, (rather than going to some centre to get scanned, "just in case") such as eye scans at airport departure for example.?

[Brietta]

Micro-chipping children has been suggested, and now recording eye patterns. It would certainly make life easier for all sorts of people if we were all recorded on some database in the future. It's never going to happen in my opinion, as it's such an invasion of freedom and privacy; very Big Brother.

Modern living is built on the invasion of freedom and privacy:  everyone leaves digital footprints which anyone with the appropriate technology can follow.