WikiLeaks Document Release http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-RS21453 February 2, 2009 Congressional Research Service Report RS21453 Amber Alert Program Technology Linda K. Moore, Resources, Science, and Industry Division November 25, 2008 Abstract. Amber Alerts (also referred to as AMBER plans) use technology to disseminate information about child abductions in a timely manner. Research has found that most abducted children murdered by their kidnappers are killed within three hours of the abduction. Prompt response to child abductions is therefore deemed critical by many. Amber Alert plans are voluntary partnerships including law enforcement agencies, highway departments, and communications companies that provide emergency alerts. Technologies used for alerts include the Emergency Alert System (EAS), highway messages boards, telephone alert systems, the Internet, text messaging, and e-mail. Over 100 communities have Amber Alert programs, and all 50 states have statewide alert plans. Because kidnappers can cross state lines with their victims, the Department of Justice will often be involved in responding to an abduction. For this and other reasons, there is increased fed- eral involvement in and support of Amber Alert plans. This report deals with technology and related policy issues. Order Code RS21453 Updated November 25, 2008 Amber Alert Program Technology Linda K. Moore Analyst in Telecommunications Policy Resources, Science, and Industry Division Summary Amber Alerts (also referred to as AMBER plans) use technology to disseminate information about child abductions in a timely manner. Research has found that most http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-RS21453 abducted children murdered by their kidnappers are killed within three hours of the abduction. Prompt response to child abductions is therefore deemed critical by many. Amber Alert plans are voluntary partnerships including law enforcement agencies, highway departments, and communications companies that provide emergency alerts. Technologies used for alerts include the Emergency Alert System (EAS), highway messages boards, telephone alert systems, the Internet, text messaging, and e-mail. Over 100 communities have Amber Alert programs, and all 50 states have statewide alert plans. Because kidnappers can cross state lines with their victims, the Department of Justice will often be involved in responding to an abduction. For this and other reasons, there is increased federal involvement in and support of Amber Alert plans. This report deals with technology and related policy issues. Other CRS reports discuss protective programs for minors and current legislation. How Amber Alerts Work Amber Alerts1 (also referred to as AMBER2) use technology to disseminate information about child abductions in a timely manner. Typically an Amber Alert is triggered for children under 18 who are believed by law enforcement officers to have been abducted (except in cases of parental abduction). Research has found that most abducted children murdered by their kidnappers are killed within three hours of the abduction. Prompt response to child abductions is therefore deemed critical by many. Law enforcement officers are encouraged to send out an alert if circumstances indicate that the child is in harm's way, if they have sufficient descriptive information about the child 1 Named after Amber Hagerman, kidnaped and murdered in 1996. Websites with additional information include [http://codeamber.org/] and the site of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, [http://www.ncmec.org]. 2 For "America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response." CRS-2 and/or the abductor for an alert, and if they believe that the immediate broadcast of an alert will help. When there is information about a vehicle used in an abduction, this information will usually be transmitted to highway messages boards, if that technology is in place. While each plan sets its own parameters, most follow guidelines set by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). A typical Amber Alert, would include an Emergency Alert System (EAS) broadcast, alerts on highway message boards, and notifications to public service partners such as police, highway patrols and the field crews of public utilities. A number of counties and cities have Amber Alert programs that notify local residents using e-mail or telephone alert systems to aid in the recovery of abducted children. Alerts can also be sent by text messages to cell phones and other wireless devices. Cingular, Sprint Nextel, Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile are among the wireless service providers that participate in the Amber Alert network; subscribers can sign up for free text messages.3 These systems have the advantage of targeting selected audiences by function or geographical location but may not be received in a timely manner; telephone alert systems, for example, can be blocked by call-screening technologies. http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-RS21453 Amber Alerts and All-Hazards Warnings Some states participate in a consortium that uses Internet technology customized for Amber Alerts.4 Information about an Amber Alert is sent to a web portal and reconfigured for different types of broadcasting, including cell phones, pagers, e-mail, highway signs, TV news websites, and emergency communications center. The technology allows police officers to transmit details and photos through encrypted computer systems in patrol cars. Information, therefore, is disseminated both more quickly and more widely, maximizing the opportunity to find a missing child in the critical first three hours. The alert system is managed from a dedicated web portal that can be accessed by statewide or local systems. The software recognizes the reported locations of abductions and sends emergency messages to targeted areas. Emergency Alert System (EAS)5 EAS sends emergency messages with the cooperation of broadcast radio and television and most cable television stations. Its most common use is for weather alerts. EAS technology is also used in the Amber Alert programs administered in some states and communities. To facilitate transmittal, EAS messages are classified by types of events, which are coded. These event codes speed the recognition and retransmittal process at broadcast stations. For example, a tornado warning is TOR, evacuation immediate is EVI, a civil emergency message is CEM. When a message is received at the broadcast station, it can be relayed to the public either as a program interruption or, for television, a "crawl" at the bottom of the TV screen. In the early stages of Amber Alert 3 For more information, see [http://www.wirelessfoundation.org] and [https://www. wirelessamberalerts.org/index.jsp]. 4 For more information, see [http://www.amberalert911.com/]. 5 See CRS Report RL32527, Emergency Communications: The Emergency Alert System (EAS) and All-Hazard Warnings, by Linda K. Moore. CRS-3 program development the CEM (civil emergency) event code was used for EAS messages. In February 2002, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) added several new event and location codes for broadcast and cable stations to use; included was a Child Abduction Emergency (CAE) event code. Stations are not required to modify their equipment to recognize the new codes and many Amber Alerts are still coded as civil emergencies for transmission. New equipment installed by broadcast and cable stations after February 2004, however, must be able to receive and transmit the new codes.6 Although broadcaster participation is mandatory for national alerts, the participation of broadcast and cable stations in state and local emergency announcements is voluntary. Presidential Initiatives and The Department of Justice7 Because kidnappers can cross state lines with their victims, the Department of Justice will often be involved in responding to an abduction. For this and other reasons there is increased federal involvement in and support of Amber Alert plans. However, critics are concerned about the possibility of false arrests, overzealous vigilantism, the release of sensitive information about minors, and confusion with homeland security alerts. http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-RS21453 President George W. Bush and Congress have encouraged federal support for Amber Alerts. In October 2002, the President requested that the Department of Justice establish standards for the issuing and dissemination of Amber Alerts. On April 30, 2003, the president signed into law the PROTECT Act (P.L. 108-21), formally establishing the federal government's role in the Amber Alert system. The Office of Justice Programs, at the Department of Justice, now includes an Amber Alert division., the National AMBER Alert Initiative.8 The Department of Justice, the Department of Transportation, NCMEC, broadcasters, and law enforcement officers collaborate on national strategies for the Amber Alert program. One collaborative initiative was to develop standard procedures for emergency call takers responding to a report of a missing or abused child. Members of the joint committee that developed the standard included the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO), the National Academies of Emergency Dispatch (NAED), the National Emergency Number Association (NENA), NCMEC, and the Department of Justice. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Board of Standards Review approved the standard in December 2007 [APCO American National Standard (ANS)1.101.1-2007].9 National Emergency Child Locator Center The National Emergency Child Locator Center has been established within NCMEC, as required by the Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2007 (P.L. 109-295, Title VI, 6 FCC, Report and Order, Docket No. 01-66, released February 22, 2002. 7 Broader policy issues are discussed in CRS Report RL34050, Missing and Exploited Children: Background, Policies, and Issues, by Adrienne L Fernandes. 8 See [http://www.amberalert.gov/]. 9 APCO News, "New Standard Addresses Handling Reports of Missing Children," January 22, 2008 at [http://www.apcointl.org/new/news/missing-children-standard.php]. Viewed January 25, 2008. CRS-4 Subtitle E).10 The purpose of the center is to identify children separated from their families as the consequence of a disaster and reunite them expeditiously. NCMEC is to operate a toll-free call center, set up a website with information about displaced children, and take other steps to collect and disseminate information about the children and their families. NCMEC maintains both missing children and missing adults links on its website for people missing in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.11 National Center for Missing Adults Amber Alert technology and alerting techniques are also used for other missing person notifications. A number of local or faith-based organizations maintain services to assist in locating missing adults. The National Center for Missing Adults (NCMA)12 operates as the national clearinghouse for missing adults. NCMA also maintains a national database of missing adults determined to be "endangered" or otherwise at-risk. NCMA was formally established after the passage of Kristen's Act (P.L. 106-468).13 NCMA is a division of the Nation's Missing Children Organization, Inc. (NMCO) -- a 501c (3) non-profit organization working in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs.14 http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-RS21453 Kristen's Act authorized the Attorney General to make grants to public agencies or not-for-profit organizations to perform these functions: ! to assist law enforcement and families in locating missing adults; ! to maintain a national, interconnected database for the purpose of tracking missing adults who are determined by law enforcement to be endangered due to age, diminished mental capacity, or the circumstances of disappearance, when foul play is suspected or circumstances are unknown; ! to maintain statistical information of adults reported as missing; ! to provide informational resources and referrals to families of missing adults; ! to assist in public notification and victim advocacy related to missing adults; and ! to establish and maintain a national clearinghouse for missing adults.15 10 Sec. 689b, 120 STAT1449-1450. 11 See [http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/PageServlet?LanguageCountry=en_ US&PageId=2077]. 12 See [http://www.theyaremissed.org/ncma/content.php?webid=about_ncma]. 13 See [http://www.theyaremissed.org/ncma/content.php?webid=kristens_law]. 14 See [http://www.theyaremissed.org/ncma/content.php?webid=about_nmco]. 15 P.L. 106-268, Sec. 2.