Amber Alerts: Good Idea/Rife for Abuse?

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cl_mssugaree
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-22-2003
Amber Alerts: Good Idea/Rife for Abuse?
4
 Mon, 03-31-2003 - 6:58am
Should there be a National Amber Alert?

http://www.missingkids.com/html/amberplan.html


http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=512&ncid=1278&e=10&u=/ap/20030328/ap_on_go_co/amber_alert

Can you forsee it being abused?

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lmanney
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
In reply to: cl_mssugaree
Amber Alerts: Good Idea/Rife for Abuse?
 Mon, 03-31-2003 - 10:29am
Fundamentally a good idea, but the legislation is really bogged down.

What is this ADAM alert about? I guess I don't know that a significant number of kids go missing from government buildings (aside from those that wander away from tour groups?) so this strikes me as a big waste of time and money.

The actual concept of broadcasting through as many viable channels as possible that a child is missing is a great idea, especially since so few of these cases ever recieve the kind of media attention that the Smart case generated. It troubles me there would be superflous legislation tied to it. While I agree with it, I think it will make it more difficult to pass.

Leah

sandy9193
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
In reply to: cl_mssugaree
Amber Alerts: Good Idea/Rife for Abuse?
 Mon, 03-31-2003 - 12:14pm
I think like many *good* things/ideas a few idiots can or will mess it up.

All in all I think it is necessary. A very, very small percentage of missing kids (and adults) make national news -- so hopefully it will help put them out there.

I think errors or overuse can make it more difficult to get attention in the long run though.

So I guess I am saying I have mixed feelings about this? The mom in me wants to have anything and everything available though.

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lmanney
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
In reply to: cl_mssugaree
Amber Alerts: Good Idea/Rife for Abuse?
 Mon, 03-31-2003 - 1:52pm
I guess a related issue is that if the sentencing and prosecution parts of this legislation is ruled unconstitutional, what effect would it have specifically on the broadcasting aspect? Can only parts of a law be challenged while leaving the remaining parts intact?

Leah

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cl_mssugaree
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-22-2003
In reply to: cl_mssugaree
Amber Alerts: Good Idea/Rife for Abuse?
 Tue, 04-01-2003 - 7:18am
Depends on how it is written and any amendments to the bill--such as, is there a 'poison pill'.

Here is some more on "Code Adam", a precursor and environment-specific to Amber Alert:

http://www.missingkids.com/html/code_adam.html


In some ways this backs into, is a corollary to, the issue of publishing names of pedophiles on the Internet and in other publications, which was recently upheld by the Supreme Court. Should parents have those tools at their disposal?

Could Amber Alert or Code Adam be used in custody disputes?

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