In the state of Texas, it is up to the Texas Department of Safety (DPS) to issue statewide Amber Alerts. If they say no, then the alert does not get broadcast. Since the law was passed creating Amber Alerts in 2002, the DPS has received 236 requests to issue an alert (less than 53 per year). They turned down 194 of those requests, and only approved and issued 42 alerts. So far this year, two requests have been made and both were denied.
The DPS says they are afraid that if too many Amber Alerts are issued, that people might stop paying attention to them. So they limit the alerts to stranger abductions and children taken unwillingly.
I think this is faulty reasoning on part of the DPS. After all, an Amber Alert means there is a child in danger, and the public knows this. I seriously doubt anyone would ignore an appeal that meant a child was in danger, even if there had been several alerts issued recently. Would you ignore it?
For example, take the case of the latest request that was turned down. It involves an 11 year-old Tyler girl who willingly ran away with a 23 year-old, who was a family acquaintance. The family didn't know the man was making amorous advances toward their daughter. They also didn't know the man was on probation for a burglary in 2006. It is believed the couple may be heading for Mexico.
The Tyler Police are doing what they can. They charged the man with kidnapping and violation of probation. They also asked the DPS for a statewide Amber Alert, and were turned down. The DPS turned it down because the 11 YEAR-OLD GIRL went with the man willingly.
What is the DPS thinking? The man is clearly a pedophile. This is not a case of a 14-17 year-old girl running away with her boyfriend, which certainly would not warrant an Amber Alert. No, this is a case of a child molester and his victim. The fact that he convinced the child to go with him willingly should have no bearing on whether to issue the alert or not.
Cathy Crabtree, director of Children's Advocacy Centers of Texas, says, "There's no question the way the penal code is written, that a child 14 and under cannot give consent. I can't imagine that the same thought process ... would not apply as well to abduction, particularly considering that this person is not a family member or relative. If they pick this guy up and find out he's had a sexual relationship with this child, regardless of whether she went with him willingly, there's no way they can't press charges. What harm can there be in running it versus the potential harm of not finding this child?"
She is right. The DPS is worrying far too much about its policy, and not nearly enough about the safety of this child. Wasn't the Amber Alert created for children's safety? The DPS policy must be changed to reflect this.
DPS has a novel approach to child abuse here, perhaps they consider the abducted child is qualified to drive, too, since she's in the company of an adult?
ReplyDeleteThere is a possibility -- however slight -- that some cultural differences and forces are at work. Probably not though. I am still stuck on how certain national electronic media devote tons of airtime to pretty little white girls gone missing than those of color, or perhaps, maybe not even pretty.
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine the pain John Walsh has gone through with what happened to his son. I do think Walsh is kind of reactionary when it comes to alleged criminals, though I feel it is understandable. But America's Most Wanted seems to be the most successful model available in trying to find the lost and those who have committed crimes.
Some folks with a lot more smarts than I have need to sit down and figure out the best and most effective way to use ALL media including Amber alerts to find endangered people more rapidly.
i think texans care more than dps thinks..and all children gone missing should be given the amber alert.
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