What is an amber alert?
As a parent, I am ever so cautious of letting my toddler roam too far away from me. You just can’t be too careful these days. Since the AMBER alert system was nationally coordinated in 2002, more than 230 children across the country have been rescued and escaped any potential danger. Since 2002, all 50 states have established an Amber alert system, though each state’s systems may vary. However, there are 3 factors that are pertinent in being present for an Amber alert to be activated. First and foremost, there needs to be evidence that a child was indeed abducted. Secondly, there must be a valid fear of danger that the child is thought to be in after the abduction. And lastly, there has to be an accurate description of not only the child, but the abductor and a possible vehicle description. If all of those factors are met, the public can be made aware of the abduction and the Amber alert can be activated.
In 1996, the Amber plan was created as a legacy to a little girl in Texas who was not only abducted but murdered while outside playing. Local residents were outraged and began making suggestions about broadcasting alerts over the airways so that future incidents could be prevented and helped. This led to the eventual Amber alert system that we are all very well aware of now.
Once an Amber alert is activated, radio stations will broadcast the information. Television stations will interrupt shows to broadcast the Amber alert. If you are driving on a main highway or some roadway that has signs to alert drivers with weather or road conditions, you may even notice an Amber alert being posted on those signs. Since most abductors are making their getaways in vehicles, roadways are a perfect place to alert other drivers. More and more states are trying to find ways to get the information out to the public. Of course, while states are trying to find ways to make the Amber alert system more effective, some people are trying to take advantage. There have been cases in which false Amber alerts have been activated because of parents who either want attention or have harmed their own children and attempt to cover it up. In my hometown, that occurred within the last year. A father killed his own child and made up a detailed story about being carjacked at gunpoint while his son was in the backseat. It was discovered the next day that the story had been completely false.
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