Amber alerts....

...this is more a question for our American friends like Ben and a Quill...

I raised this matter on ADO a few years back,,,it was quickly rubbished.

One problem may be because of false alerts?, but with kids surely we should never take chances , so I wanted to ask our American friends if it is successful in the US?..

But if these amber alerts were in place here, I'm sure some kids would be saved and it may make potential child abductees think twice?

And who funds this in the US?, is it the government , charities or both?

I really think it should be rolled out here and I don't know why it's not, funding for the advertising on telly?

These amber alerts close the net quicker by making so many people aware of a missing child..

I hope to see it adopted here, in fact...every country,

Ah now I hope this thread doesn't become about the McCanns and descend into chaos and arguments as it's a good idea thread!!!

eddie wrote:Ah now I hope this thread doesn't become about the McCanns and descend into chaos and arguments as it's a good idea thread!!!

Hopefully not Eddie!..

But had it been in place in Portugal, it MAY well have probed successful in tracking Maddie fairly quick, but that's very arguable , but it should be in place everywhere , I know you agree as you've got kids too Eddie...

But if it's because of the sake of money then it just shows governments put money before kids....


Sadly

From what I understand, the Amber Alert system is nearly useless, but we're stuck with it because nobody wants to be the politician that says we shouldn't have shrill noises play on all our gadgets when someone reports a missing child. I guess it's one of those things that seemed like a good idea when it was created, but has had a lot of unanticipated problems.

Sort of like the day I sat down at the computer and said, Hmmm, it would be cool to run a news forum!  ::D:: 

Ben_Reilly wrote:From what I understand, the Amber Alert system is nearly useless, but we're stuck with it because nobody wants to be the politician that says we shouldn't have shrill noises play on all our gadgets when someone reports a missing child. I guess it's one of those things that seemed like a good idea when it was created, but has had a lot of unanticipated problems.

Sort of like the day I sat down at the computer and said, Hmmm, it would be cool to run a news forum!  ::D:: 

Gosh,that's really sad Ben...do you ever hear of children who had been abducted but saved because if the amber alert?..not even very occasionally?...

Also, do you know if it operates in all US states? or is it just some?

Lol @ latter of your post!  





Mind me next time you film the lizard and squirrel ...I really liked that last wee clip!, my brothers always kept reptiles and one still does...he gets them free from the guy in the reptile shop as the owner doesn't really have the know how on how to care for them while in his shop would you believe?!!

So the guy often has some snakes and lizard that ain't too well health wise ..and my brother takes them off his hands and gets them on the mend and keeps them!

It's tough to tell, JD -- the groups that advocate for AA say that nearly 700 kids have been saved by it in the 15 years or so it's existed. Other studies cast a lot of doubt on those claims, pointing out that most of the kids "saved" were relatively safe in the first place -- i.e., they were with a parent who didn't have legal custody of them but who likely intended no violence toward the child.

Yeah, I need to get out and look for those critters ... funny thing is, we've been having a cooler-than-usual summer and it's the heat that really brings them out, nothing like a nice 40-degree day for those guys

The AMBER Alert™ Program is a voluntary partnership between law-enforcement agencies, broadcasters, transportation agencies, and the wireless industry, to activate an urgent bulletin in the most serious child-abduction cases. The goal of an AMBER Alert is to instantly galvanize the entire community to assist in the search for and the safe recovery of the child.

I tried copying their site and here's what I got:

DOJ wrote:The information and statements contained on this official Department of Justice AMBER Alert website shall not be used for the purposes of advertising, nor to imply the endorsement or recommendation of the United States Government. Use of the AMBER Alert™ logo is subject to the Department of Justice legal policies and disclaimers regarding the use of DOJ seals and logos.

I guess that answers the questions of who pays for it and who sponsors it.

As for effectiveness, there have been 685 successful recoveries, with 120 total plans nationwide, 53 statewide, 29 regional and 38 local.  For a breakdown by years, from 2006 to 2011, see http://www.amberalert.gov/statistics.htm

I have experienced them, felt comfortable they were working, but until you asked JD, I had never seen actual statistics on effectiveness.

In London there are thousands of London black taxis driving around.
Why don't they advertise missing people on those?
They get seen by thousands of people per day!

I think the old milk carton idea was good in the USA too.

To be honest, missing people is one area that is hardly given any finance (IMO) and hardly any thought to. Not enough is done.

It's like once a person has gone missing they really have lost their voice to be heard.

eddie wrote:In London there are thousands of London black taxis driving around.
Why don't they advertise missing people on those?
They get seen by thousands of people per day!

I think the old milk carton idea was good in the USA too.

To be honest, missing people is one area that is hardly given any finance (IMO) and hardly any thought to. Not enough is done.

It's like once a person has gone missing they really have lost their voice to be heard.

That's a great idea about the taxis Eddie and I agree about the milk cartons too, sadly there would be some in society who wouldn't care less, but most normal people would.

Great taxi ad idea.

Original Quill wrote:The AMBER Alert™ Program is a voluntary partnership between law-enforcement agencies, broadcasters, transportation agencies, and the wireless industry, to activate an urgent bulletin in the most serious child-abduction cases. The goal of an AMBER Alert is to instantly galvanize the entire community to assist in the search for and the safe recovery of the child.

I tried copying their site and here's what I got:

DOJ wrote:The information and statements contained on this official Department of Justice AMBER Alert website shall not be used for the purposes of advertising, nor to imply the endorsement or recommendation of the United States Government. Use of the AMBER Alert™ logo is subject to the Department of Justice legal policies and disclaimers regarding the use of DOJ seals and logos.

I guess that answers the questions of who pays for it and who sponsors it.

As for effectiveness, there have been 685 successful recoveries, with 120 total plans nationwide, 53 statewide, 29 regional and 38 local.  For a breakdown by years, from 2006 to 2011, see http://www.amberalert.gov/statistics.htm

I have experienced them, felt comfortable they were working, but until you asked JD, I had never seen actual statistics on effectiveness.

685 successful recoveries Quill...I would say when it comes to abducted kids, that is a huge amount...

So it says it's not endorsed or recommended by the US government , but is so by the department of justice, but isn't that still the US government that funds it in the end Quill?..

Thanks for that info btw.

There's two types of missing people - those who are missing because they want to be and those who have been taken.

Those who have gone of their own accord - alerts wouldn't help - help with their problems would help, as long as they get it before they leave.

Those who are taken? Maybe this would help a little?

Ben_Reilly wrote:It's tough to tell, JD -- the groups that advocate for AA say that nearly 700 kids have been saved by it in the 15 years or so it's existed. Other studies cast a lot of doubt on those claims, pointing out that most of the kids "saved" were relatively safe in the first place -- i.e., they were with a parent who didn't have legal custody of them but who likely intended no violence toward the child.

Yeah, I need to get out and look for those critters ... funny thing is, we've been having a cooler-than-usual summer and it's the heat that really brings them out, nothing like a nice 40-degree day for those guys

I see Ben, the kids safe all the time were in amongst these figures , I guess at the time before it was known they were safe they were classed as abducted.


Gosh, a mild summer in Texas Ben   

Joy Division wrote:

Ben_Reilly wrote:It's tough to tell, JD -- the groups that advocate for AA say that nearly 700 kids have been saved by it in the 15 years or so it's existed. Other studies cast a lot of doubt on those claims, pointing out that most of the kids "saved" were relatively safe in the first place -- i.e., they were with a parent who didn't have legal custody of them but who likely intended no violence toward the child.

Yeah, I need to get out and look for those critters ... funny thing is, we've been having a cooler-than-usual summer and it's the heat that really brings them out, nothing like a nice 40-degree day for those guys

I see Ben, the kids safe all the time were in amongst these figures , I guess at the time before it was known they were safe they were classed as abducted.


Gosh, a mild summer in Texas Ben   

"Mild" is relatively speaking, of course -- our high today was about 34, whereas a lot of times at this point of the summer it's over 40.

Ben_Reilly wrote:

Joy Division wrote:

I see Ben, the kids safe all the time were in amongst these figures , I guess at the time before it was known they were safe they were classed as abducted.


Gosh, a mild summer in Texas Ben   

"Mild" is relatively speaking, of course -- our high today was about 34, whereas a lot of times at this point of the summer it's over 40.

...oh man, I would be greeting in that heat!

Joy Division wrote:

Original Quill wrote:The AMBER Alert™ Program is a voluntary partnership between law-enforcement agencies, broadcasters, transportation agencies, and the wireless industry, to activate an urgent bulletin in the most serious child-abduction cases. The goal of an AMBER Alert is to instantly galvanize the entire community to assist in the search for and the safe recovery of the child.

I tried copying their site and here's what I got:



I guess that answers the questions of who pays for it and who sponsors it.

As for effectiveness, there have been 685 successful recoveries, with 120 total plans nationwide, 53 statewide, 29 regional and 38 local.  For a breakdown by years, from 2006 to 2011, see http://www.amberalert.gov/statistics.htm

I have experienced them, felt comfortable they were working, but until you asked JD, I had never seen actual statistics on effectiveness.

685 successful recoveries Quill...I would say when it comes to abducted kids, that is a huge amount...

So it says it's not endorsed or recommended by the US government , but is so by  the department of justice, but isn't that still the US government that funds it in the end Quill?..

Thanks for that info btw.

No...I tried to copy the website (which has information on it), and what I got was the announcement.  It doesn't like the fact that I tried to copy it, and assumes I was doing so for commercial reasons.  The announcement says the US government does not endorse private products, not that it does not endorse the Amber Alert system.  In fact, I believe it pays for the entire Amber Alert system.

Joy Division wrote:

Ben_Reilly wrote:

Joy Division wrote:

I see Ben, the kids safe all the time were in amongst these figures , I guess at the time before it was known they were safe they were classed as abducted.


Gosh, a mild summer in Texas Ben   

"Mild" is relatively speaking, of course -- our high today was about 34, whereas a lot of times at this point of the summer it's over 40.

...oh man, I would be greeting in that heat!

It gets pretty bad ...       

Which sort of dovetails back into the alert systems, we also have one for missing elderly. Of course, a lot of times missing elderly people have dementia, and it's very dangerous for them to go missing when it gets this hot. In fact, I'd say I've seen more missing elderly alerts than missing kid alerts lately ...

Original Quill wrote:

Joy Division wrote:



685 successful recoveries Quill...I would say when it comes to abducted kids, that is a huge amount...

So it says it's not endorsed or recommended by the US government , but is so by  the department of justice, but isn't that still the US government that funds it in the end Quill?..

Thanks for that info btw.

No...I tried to copy the website (which has information on it), and what I got was the announcement.  It doesn't like the fact that I tried to copy it, and assumes I was doing so for commercial reasons.  The announcement says the US government does not endorse private products, not that it does not endorse the Amber Alert system.  In fact, I believe it pays for the entire Amber Alert system.

..well I must have read tour other post wrong then Quill, bad it did read that it was a voluntary partnership between law enforcement , transportation agencies, broadcasters and the wireless industry...I just assumed that they all jointly funded the amber alert.

Original Quill wrote:

Joy Division wrote:



685 successful recoveries Quill...I would say when it comes to abducted kids, that is a huge amount...

So it says it's not endorsed or recommended by the US government , but is so by  the department of justice, but isn't that still the US government that funds it in the end Quill?..

Thanks for that info btw.

No...I tried to copy the website (which has information on it), and what I got was the announcement.  It doesn't like the fact that I tried to copy it, and assumes I was doing so for commercial reasons.  The announcement says the US government does not endorse private products, not that it does not endorse the Amber Alert system.  In fact, I believe it pays for the entire Amber Alert system.

if you have a link Q to the page you want to copy
Pop it up and I will see what I can do

Ben_Reilly wrote:

Joy Division wrote:


...oh man, I would be greeting in that heat!

It gets pretty bad ...       

Which sort of dovetails back into the alert systems, we also have one for missing elderly. Of course, a lot of times missing elderly people have dementia, and it's very dangerous for them to go missing when it gets this hot. In fact, I'd say I've seen more missing elderly alerts than missing kid alerts lately ...

I never knew that Ben ..makes a lot of sense though, the heat combined with diseases like dementia.

Bit off topic here bit I think Ben's signature is great!!..

Real crazy Texan style!!  ::=|Q::

Pretty funny!

Korban_Dallas wrote:

Original Quill wrote:

No...I tried to copy the website (which has information on it), and what I got was the announcement.  It doesn't like the fact that I tried to copy it, and assumes I was doing so for commercial reasons.  The announcement says the US government does not endorse private products, not that it does not endorse the Amber Alert system.  In fact, I believe it pays for the entire Amber Alert system.

if you have a link Q to the page you want to copy
Pop it up and I will see what I can do

Thanks T.  It was in my original post.  Here:  http://www.amberalert.gov/statistics.htm

There you go

And that would be KD if you would not mind not T

Very cool, thx kd

Original Quill wrote:Very cool, thx kd

Your very welcome

So, look around on the DOJ website, JD. Some interesting stuff.